A Disturbing Influence
by Lord Thibault
Summary: Akkarin has to come to terms with having a resentful Novice living in the Residence.  A romance from Akkarin's POV - Akkarin/Sonea.  Story complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

The Beginning

Akkarin had been both profoundly shocked and somewhat amused at the same time. To find, from reading the surface thoughts of Lorlen, that his oldest friend harboured disturbing thoughts about his High Lord, was a great surprise. At first he hadn't quite believed it, but the subsequent forced mind-read confirmed his suspicions. Lorlen knew about the black magic and had known for some time.

Akkarin hadn't liked using magic to immobilise his friend while he used his skills as a black magician to read an unwilling mind, but he had no alternative. The secret he had guarded so well for so many years was no longer secret. He had to find out how Lorlen had discovered it and who else knew.

_And that is where the bitter amusement came in_, he thought. _To think my greatest secret, carefully hidden for all these years, was discovered by a dwell who had been sneaking around the university for fun! The greatest magical minds in Kyralia hadn't found out, but a slum child had. _

That slum child was now a novice in the Guild. The risk of discovery was therefore very great. Lorlen had discovered the secret and so would the next magician who read her mind. _I must take steps to neutralise her,_ he had thought. _And the two other magicians who knew, Lorlen and Rothen._

His plan was simple; make the girl his Novice, using her as a hostage to guarantee the silence of the other two. It was lucky she was fond of Rothen, so she would do nothing to jeopardise him. A blood ring for Lorlen to monitor his words and actions completed the restrictions. None of them could now reveal the secret without the risk of harming another.

All that remained was to move the girl into his Residence, where she would be under his control. He sighed. _I have long relished my solitary state in the Residence,_ he thought. _Takan is a silent presence who knows how to disappear when he's not needed. Now I have to share it with a child and an unwilling one at that._

He had given orders for the girl to move in immediately. Her possessions had already been packed up and delivered to her new room. She was waiting downstairs in the guest room, but he decided to let her wait for a while longer. The sooner she learned obedience, the better.

It was over half an hour later that he silently opened the door to the guest room and walked in quietly. Sonea was standing by a large picture and seemed to be examining it closely. As she heard him, she gave a start, then turned and bowed.

"Good afternoon, Sonea," he said, his voice cool and dispassionate.

"Good afternoon, High Lord" she replied in a low voice. Her eyes had flicked up at his for a few seconds, then she looked away. She looked stiff and uncertain as the silence continued.

Taking pity on her, Akkarin said, "Sit down, Sonea. There are one or two things I need to say and you will be more comfortable in that chair over there."

She sat down primly, her hands loosely clasped in her lap. She glanced at him quickly, then looked down at her hands. When he said nothing, she looked up at him again and this time didn't look away. A faint colour appeared in her cheeks and he could see she swallowed nervously.

"It has been some time since there has been a High Lord's Novice living in the Residence, but you will find your accommodation is larger and more comfortable than that in the Novices' Quarters," he began. "There is plenty of room for your books and other study materials and of course, you have money to buy copies of any books you need. You will have your own servant. I have chosen one for you, her name is Viola and you will meet her shortly. She is an older servant with many years experience, so she will be able to answer any questions you might have." He paused, but she said nothing simply keeping her eyes on his face.

"You will find new sets of novice's robes in your room, and you must wear those in place of your current robes. You will also need some other clothes. I sometimes entertain visitors to the Guild and you will be required to attend some of the dinners, for example."

Sonea moved a little in her chair, but she made no attempt to speak. Her face, which he found quite expressive, was set in sullen lines which reminded him strongly of his younger sister when she had been refused an extra dessert.

"I shall take a close interest in your studies, Sonea. As my Novice, you will be expected to do well in all your subjects. If I find in gaps in your skills, I shall take immediate steps to remedy them. I shall expect you to dine formally with me at least once a week and I shall require a short daily meeting to discuss your studies. Apart from that, you will find that I won't interfere in your social life or take up too much of your time."

He looked at her closely for a moment. "Do you have any questions?"

"No, High Lord. Thank you," she said.

"There is one other thing," he said quickly. "You will not have any contact with Rothen apart from the casual and unavoidable meetings arising from your studies."

"No, that's not fair!" she cried. "We have both promised to say nothing. I have done what you wanted and moved in here with you. Rothen is my only friend in the Guild! Why do you have to be so cruel?"

He looked at her in surprise. Her whole demeanour had changed, there was colour in her cheeks and her eyes glittered perhaps with unshed tears. _She looks quite different when she's not sulking,_ he thought in amusement, _A different girl entirely, lively and passionate._

Careful not to let his amusement show, Akkarin remained cool, "You will do what I tell you, Sonea, without question. A Novice's first task is to learn obedience to her Guardian. I expected you to have learned that in your first weeks in the Guild. Rothen may have been an easy Guardian, but you will find I am not the same. I have rules and standards and I expect them to be followed and obeyed without question. Do I make myself clear?"

Sonea glared for a moment, then dropped her eyes, "Yes, High Lord," she said in a low voice, "I understand."

"Good," Akkarin rose and rang a small bell which was sitting on the side. Almost at once the door opened and Takan came in the room. "Ask Viola to come here," the High Lord said.

A few minutes later there was a tap at the door and a small woman, with salt and pepper hair and a business-like expression on her face, came into the room.

"Ah, Viola, this is Lady Sonea. Will you take her to her room and answer any questions she might have."

As the door closed behind them, Akkarin reached for a bottle of his favourite Anuran Dark wine and poured himself a drink. He sat down in his chair, and twirled the glass in his long, pale fingers. It wasn't going to be easy, living under the same roof with a resentful Novice as well as carrying on with the endless task of tracking down and eliminating the Ichani slaves sent to test the Guild's defences.

_If only it had been a boy who had discovered my secret,_ he thought. _I could have managed a male Novice better than a female one. What do I have in common with a girl and a girl from the slums at that?_

He sipped his drink. It was no good wishing for something which hadn't happened. It was a girl who had discovered him and a girl who was now living under his roof. _I hope we don't get any rumours starting about us like there were with Rothen when she lived in his rooms, _he thought_. I shall have to be vigilant. She dislikes me, so she won't be following me around making sheep's eyes at me like the girls from the Houses who fancy being the High Lord's wife!_

He laughed bitterly. _What a state to be in, to be thankful a young girl dislikes me,_ he thought.

He finished the wine and poured another. It would be several years before his Novice completed her studies and for all that time she would be living in the Residence. Perhaps in time, they would reach a better understanding and then, sharing his home would not be such a burden.

He had meant what he'd said. He didn't intend to interfere unnecessarily in her life. As long as she kept his secret and ensured that Lorlen and Rothen also kept silent, that was all he asked of her. He could make her life in the Guild easier, simply by being her Guardian. _We could all benefit from the situation,_ he told himself. _Perhaps it's not so bad after all._


	2. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Akkarin frowned at his image in the mirror as he quickly arranged his hair into the rather old-fashioned style he had chosen when he became High Lord and swiftly bound it with black velvet. His Novice had been living in the Residence for a week now, and things had not progressed very far.

_Well,_ he thought, _Living is perhaps too strong a word. She is out as soon as she is up and dressed and returns as late as possible just to sleep._

Even the daily meetings to discuss her studies were held almost on the run, with Sonea reluctant to sit down, preferring to stand, shifting her weight from one foot to another, while she answered his questions as briefly as possible. It had been difficult to catch her to start with. He had been reduced to waiting for her near his own front door, so that even these brief meetings could go ahead. She did not appear for breakfast either, having persuaded Viola to bring that awful drink she liked and a few slices of bread and butter to her room each morning.

_She still refuses to look at me_, he thought regretfully. _How I'm going to make any progress with her, I can't imagine. And there is no one to discuss it with!_

He sighed. Since becoming High Lord, he had not attempted to make any new friendships. Power often attracted the wrong sort of people and he would never have been sure that his new friends actually liked him or simply wished to be in the High Lord's orbit. Only Lorlen had continued the friendship they had formed when they were novices together. They had worked well together, High Lord and Administrator, but now even that friendly relationship was gone.

_Perhaps I should have explained things to him_, he thought_. Surely he would have understood why I must use black magic to keep the Guild safe. _But it was a risk he couldn't bring himself to take. What would have happened if Lorlen had not believed him? What if telling him the whole story made him even more determined to prevent the use of forbidden magic?

_It's no use going over old ground_, he thought firmly. _It's far too late now._

He stared at his reflection again. Black hair, black eyes, black robes and pale skin, a monochrome picture, with only the gold incal on his sleeve to provide any sense of colour at all. There were some days when the sight of his reflection was simply too depressing. He turned away from the mirror and thought for a moment.

_Takan? Come to my bedchamber. _Having a blood gem link to his servant was very useful at times. A few minutes later, Takan knocked on his door and entered. He stopped near the door and looked enquiringly at Akkarin.

"Takan, I'm expecting my Novice for a formal dinner this evening. I want you to provide one of your best and most interesting meals. She hasn't tasted any of your cooking yet and I want her to really appreciate it."

Takan smiled, "A bit difficult is she? I've noticed she doesn't spend much time here! It looks like your famous charm isn't working."

Akkarin grinned ruefully, "It is rather difficult. I'm hoping food is a good way to make her think more positively about being in the Residence."

Takan promised to provide his best menu and after the door closed behind him, Akkarin thought how surprised some of his magician colleagues would have been to hear the way a servant and the High Lord talked to each other. Takan did not stand on ceremony when they were alone. Akkarin smiled, _We've shared a lot over the years_, he thought. _I would not have survived the journey back to Kyralia without him. Takan is a friend who acts as my servant not a servant I treat as a friend._

He went downstairs to the dinning room for breakfast, but of course, Sonea was not present. Akkarin didn't feel hungry, but he had learned from bitter experience that a black magician who expected to have to fight at any time, needed to ensure he had proper meals. He drank his tea and managed to eat a plateful of hot meat with some bread. There was a lot to do today, including an important meeting with King Merin at the palace which he wasn't looking forward to.

He rang for Viola and gave her a note to put in Sonea's room, reminding her to be in the dining room at 7.30pm for a formal dinner. He didn't want to provide her with an opportunity to say she had forgotten.

Just before 7.15pm Akkarin went to the dining room. He poured himself a large glass of wine and cast a critical eye over the table. Takan had brought out all the gold plate and set the table as if the King was coming for a meal. There were fat white candles in gold candlesticks strategically placed to ensure the light brought out the bright gleam of gold. The glasses had been polished to sparkling perfection and there was even a crystal bowl of pale pink and white roses as a centrepiece, their fragrance lightly scenting the room.

Suddenly Akkarin heard the front door bang and the sound of running feet crossing the hall and up the stairs. He smiled to himself. She'd got the note and there would be no excuses. He could expect a minimum of two hours of his Novice's company this evening. _And if Takan produces a good meal, perhaps longer than two hours_, he thought hopefully.

The clock was striking the half hour when the door to the dining room opened and Sonea came in. Akkarin was watching her reflection in the mirror over the fireplace and he saw her stop and stare at the large collection of gold plate on the table. She pulled a face and frowned, but catching sight of him looking at her, she quickly smoothed her expression into something more neutral.

"Good evening Sonea," he said.

"Good evening, High Lord," she replied and bowed.

"A glass of wine, before the first course?" He made sure his voice was politely neutral, a good host taking care of his guest, and indicated the row of bottles on the sideboard. Sonea looked uncertain, but politely came over to examine the bottles.

"I'm not a great wine drinker, High Lord," she said, "What do you recommend?"

He spent a few minutes describing each of the wines on offer and finished by saying that his own particular favourite was Anuran Dark. "Would you like to try a small glass of that?" he asked.

She nodded and took the glass he offered. He indicated she should sit at the table and took the chair opposite. He looked across at her, but she was examining the wine closely, her eyes firmly fixed on the rich dark red liquid. He waited, but she showed no intention of starting a conversation. _Why does she have to make this so difficult!_ he fumed. _She could at least make an effort_.

The door opened and Takan came carrying a very large soup tureen. He put it down and filled two soup bowls with its contents. Sonea stared at the bowl he put before her as if she had never seen soup before.

"This is a fresh spring vegetable soup, with dumplings," Akkarin explained. "It is rather good, do try some."

Sonea lifted a spoonful of soup to her mouth and swallowed. Akkarin was amused to see an expression of surprise flash across her face as she quickly took another mouthful.

"It is good, isn't it?" he said gently.

Sonea nodded and soon her bowl was empty. She took another sip of her wine and looked around the room. As far as the High Lord knew, she had not been here before. It was difficult to tell if she were impressed or bored.

Takan reappeared with plates of pickled fish and courgettes. Sonea looked at the unusual dish with some suspicion. She picked up a fork and poked the fish to see if there was anything under it.

Akkarin said, "It's a dish from Takan's homeland. You have probably not seen it before, but it's good, try it."

Sonea tried the pickled fish. Then she tried the roast meat dish and sampled all the vegetables, which had been prepared in unusual ways. She drank two more glasses of Anuran Dark and ate three freshly baked bread rolls. Throughout it all, she had hardly spoken and Akkarin was tired of trying to encourage her to speak. _Two hours and she's hardly said a word, _he thought. _How long can this go on?_

Taken arrived with the desert, and Sonea's eyes grew big at the size of the portion put in front of her. She picked up a spoon and took her first mouthful. A look of delight spread over her face as she attacked the rest of the dessert. At Akkarin's urging, she had a second helping and another glass of wine.

By this time, Sonea was looking a little flushed and bright eyed. Akkarin eyed her calculatingly. _Perhaps the wine and food have done their work and she's ready to talk,_ he thought.

"What do you think of the meal, Sonea? I'm sure Takan would be interested to know whether or not you liked his recipes." Akkarin asked.

She looked at him directly for the first time, "Oh, it was wonderful. Takan is a very good cook. I don't think I've ever eaten such a meal!" She smiled suddenly, "I don't think I'll be able to eat for a week."

They spent a few more minutes discussing the meal. Akkarin was pleased to see that the wine had relaxed his Novice and she actually seemed to be enjoying the conversation. Then, unfortunately, he spoilt it all.

She had told him of some of the meals eaten in the slums and he had mentioned one or two amusing incidents from formal dinners he'd attended. He made some comment about the cost of hosting a dinner for the King's Advisors and her expression changed from open and relaxed to closed and angry.

She gestured at the gold place settings and said, "The cost of one of these forks would feed a family where I come from for several months. You have enough gold here to feed the entire city for a year, I think. Why should one man have all this and so many people go hungry?" She looked at him with something like contempt in her eyes. "Why does a man like you deserve to eat off gold plates?"

He was at a loss for words for a moment, then he said, "It is not my gold plate, it is the High Lord's gold plate. It and all the things in the Residence are the setting to honour the High Lord and to show respect for his position in the Guild."

This time, the contempt was obvious, "Honour! Respect! These words do not apply to you. You break your own Guild's laws and then act dishonourably to prevent anyone finding out. Thank you for dinner. I beg to be excused." Her voice was icily polite.

"You are excused, Sonea," he replied stiffly and watched as she almost slammed the door behind her, but thought better of it and merely closed it loudly.

Akkarin poured himself another large glass of wine and groaned softly to himself. _For a moment, I thought it had worked and she was getting used to living here and talking to me_. _Then I had to go and spoil the mood. If only she'd been a boy, _he thought sadly, _It would have gone so much better, I'd have known what to say and do!_

Takan slipped into the room and raised his eyebrows at Akkarin, who shook his head wearily.

"She liked the food, it was the company she disliked," he said ruefully.

Takan clapped him on the shoulder, "Don't worry, it's only been a week. Just keep working away at her, piling on the charm, you'll soon have her eating out of your hand."

But Akkarin wasn't convinced. "I forced her to come and live here. I've used blackmail to enforce her silence. That's a very low place to start from and I'm not sure even my so-called charm and diplomatic skills are up to the job!"

Takan smiled. "I know you well, Akkarin. You can do anything you put your mind to. She'll come round, you'll see."


	3. A Resourceful Novice

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

**A Resourceful Novice**

The secret passages were often dusty and gloomy, with many traps for the unwary, but Akkarin felt quite at home in them. They had become one of his most important assets, enabling him to move around the Guild unobserved. There were even places where he could eavesdrop on conversations which allowed him to keep up-to-date with the undercurrents in the Guild and his ability to hint at presumably secret goings-on had added to his power and prestige.

He used one of his regular routes through the passages to gain entrance to Lorlen's office. He knew how unsettled Lorlen became when he returned to his locked office to find it occupied. In the past, …._when we were friends_, the thought came unbidden into his mind….it had been a standing joke between them. He sat down in a comfortable chair and prepared to wait until the Administrator returned.

He didn't have to wait long. The office door opened and Lorlen, a worried frown on his face, came in. He didn't see his visitor at first, but stopped dead in his tracks as Akkarin's tall form unfolded itself from the chair.

"High Lord," Lorlen's voice was formally correct.

"Well, old friend, what news do you have for me?" Akkarin wandered over to the table and poured two glasses of wine, holding out a glass to the Administrator.

Lorlen took the glass but set it down untasted. "I thought you got all the news you needed through this," and he held out his hand where the blood gem glittered balefully.

"True, but your interpretation of conversations and events has always been useful to me." Akkarin sipped the wine and regarded Lorlen steadily. "You haven't been going to the Night Room recently. There will be talk if you don't put in an appearance soon."

"I haven't felt well," Lorlen said. "I'm not sure I can cope with questions from curious magicians."

"Everyone is safe, Lorlen. No one has been harmed and as long as all three of you behave as I asked, nothing will happen. You will go to the Night Room tonight." Akkarin's tone was firm. "Now, how have the teachers and students taken the news about my new Novice?"

Lorlen didn't answer straight away. He was aware that things had not really improved very much for Sonea and that some of her tormentors, sensing that she was not very fond of her guardian, were becoming more obviously antagonistic towards her again.

"She still has problems with Regin and his followers," Lorlen replied. "There was an incident the other day where they attacked her and forced her to drain her power maintaining her shield. It seemed they used stunstikes once her shield was gone. They seem to think she will not ask you for help."

Akkarin looked thoughtful for a moment. "She has said nothing to me. Keep an eye on her for me, Lorlen. I want to know how she copes with the other novices."

As he left the Administrator's office, Akkarin continued to think about his Novice. He had examined her training schedules and read through all the reports about her. She was very strong in magic and one day would be a formidable magician. Her main weaknesses were in Warrior skills. _That should be remedied,_ he thought. There were few female Warriors in the Guild and sometimes he thought that was probably due to pressure from older magicians, who tended to think women were more suitable Healers than Warriors or even Alchemists, rather than the wishes of the women themselves.

He understood why Sonea refused to discuss any of her problems with him. Any conversation about her studies always followed the same pattern. He would ask the question and she would answer, always saying that things were fine, or that she understood the work and needed no help. She never volunteered any comments at all and had said absolutely nothing about her fellow students. So he couldn't expect her to start complaining about her fellow novices now. _Still, encounters such as Lorlen described should help her develop her Warrior skills, _he thought.

It had been over two weeks since the fateful formal dinner and he had made no further attempts to hold another one. He thought it would be better to let things settle down again into their usual pattern before trying once more to encourage conversation with Sonea.

He smiled to himself, _She certainly has a strong will_. _She has kept the same sort of behaviour she showed in the first few days, with no softening in her attitude. _

He walked in the direction of one of the least used corridors in the building and once there, he entered the maze of passages and began his usual route back to the Residence. The passages were so familiar to him, he only needed a faint light. He moved confidently and quietly towards his goal, lost in thought.

A few minutes into his journey, he became aware of a faint noise. He stopped, no one else, as far as he was aware, used the passages and most Guild members seemed to have forgotten all about them. He stopped, snapped out his light and listened. The noise continued and he became aware of the distant glow of another light. He looked around, there should be a largish niche in the wall somewhere nearby where he could conceal himself. _Yes, there it is_, he thought._ Let's see who is wandering around my tunnels!_

Akkarin squeezed himself into the space, thankful for the blackness of his robes. He pulled his hood closely around his face and concealed his hands in his sleeves. The noises were louder now and his experienced ears told him it was a single person trying to move quietly, but not being completely successful.

The glow of the light came nearer and nearer until, at last, Akkarin was able to see who it was. _Of course_, he thought, amused, _It would have to be Sonea! _He remained motionless as she came down the passage and passed him, not looking right or left, but concentrating on moving quickly down the passage, which was littered with bits of debris which could trip the unwary. She was carrying her box and had obviously just left a lesson.

He waited for some time after she passed him to ensure that she had left the passages, before continuing his journey. _I wonder how she found out about the passages_, he thought. _How long has she been using them? Has she told anyone else?_

Back in the Residence, he went to his study and poured a glass of wine. As he sipped, he considered Sonea. The girl was full of surprises and there was so much potential there, given her strength. He had no idea how she had discovered the network of passages, let alone the entry and exit points. He remembered Lorlen's news about the attacks on her and supposed that she used the passages to evade her tormentors. That meant she was resourceful, not afraid to work things out for herself. _Just the right sort of skills for a Warrior._

_I must try again, with a dinner_, he thought. _It almost worked the last time and if I am careful about what I say…_

He stifled the half-completed thought, feeling quite annoyed with himself. How ridiculous that a High Lord should be thinking in this way over a silly, petulant Novice. _She has to learn obedience and the respect due to the High Lord…_

Her voice echoed in his mind, _"…..Honour! Respect! These words do not apply to you…"_ and he sighed. He had to admit she was right. From her point of view, he had not acted with honour and at the moment, he could not think how he was going to persuade her otherwise. He didn't know why, but it seemed to be important that Sonea should not dislike him quite so much.


	4. Dinner for Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world, it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

**Dinner for Two**

He watched Sonea come into the dining room. She paused at the door, "Good evening, High Lord," she said and bowed, then moved over to where he was standing. Her robes were freshly pressed and she had tamed her unruly hair, so it sat neatly, a halo around her pale expressionless face. She waited for him to pass her the glass of wine and smiled politely. No frowns this time.

"Good evening Sonea. I hope you have a good appetite as Takan has been working hard in the kitchen again." Akkarin made sure his voice and expression were neutral. He was hoping that this second formal dinner would end better than the first one.

They moved over to the table and sat down. He asked Sonea one or two questions about her day's classes and as usual, she assured him that everything had gone well and there were no problems. _She lies well_, he thought, _I suppose that comes from years of practice in the slums._

He had been observing her for the last few days, often using the spy holes in the passages to keep watch on some of the corridors near the classrooms. He had seen a number of the attacks made by Regin's group and had watched her try various ways to defend herself against them. Although most of the time, the others forced her to drain her power, Akkarin admired the way she tried different tactics to prevent that happening so quickly. _She continues to learn_, he thought approvingly. She was also coping with an increasing number of attackers.

The other thing he approved of was her determination not to use her greater strength to hurt the others. She used just enough power to defend herself, but not attack. There were not many novices, in the same circumstances, who would stop themselves from retaliating. Of course, for a Warrior, it was not necessarily a good decision to make. She needed more formal training from one of the best Warriors to overcome that particular hesitation.

As Takan served the first course, a selection of vegetables in a spicy sauce, Akkarin continued with his discussion of her studies.

"Which was the best lesson for you today?" he asked, looking at her directly.

Her eyes flickered across his face, but evaded his eyes. "We had a very good lesson on Healing. Lady Erestina was teaching us about certain plants and their healing powers." She went on to describe a particularly interesting demonstration of healing cuts with an ointment made from healbalm. Akkarin noticed that her face was animated and her voice warm. _She likes Healing_, he thought. _What a loss, if she chooses that for her discipline._

He went on watching her while encouraging her to talk about the lesson. Her eyes were bright and she was fully involved in recounting what happened when one of her classmates made a terrible error in the mixture. "…..and the cut turned a bright purple and Tressa was so worried it…" suddenly her voice stopped and he noticed she was staring directly at him. Her face lost its animation as she realised how closely he had been observing her.

"Go on, Sonea," he said encouragingly, "What happened next?"

Expressionless, Sonea said, "Lady Erestina sorted out the problem." She had finished the vegetables and sat still, her hands out of sight, saying nothing more.

Akkarin refilled her wine glass and waited while Takan cleared the empty plates and brought in the next course, a delicious-smelling stew of poultry.

"I have arranged for you to have extra lessons in Warrior skills with Lord Yikmo," he said. "He's one of our best teachers."

Sonea's face developed a mulish look, "I don't want any extra lessons in Warrior skills. I am managing quite well, High Lord."

Akkarin smiled, "My favourite has the best teachers so that she will excel. I have looked at your records. Warrior skills are your weakest subject and you need to improve."

Sonea looked down at her stew and picked up a fork. She took a small mouthful and then put the fork down. "I'm not very interested in those sorts of skills, High Lord. I cannot see the usefulness of every magician being able to fight. After all, there is no fighting these days, unless you count the Purge."

Akkarin looked at her sharply, "The Purge? Is that what you think Warriors do? Warriors are our defence against an attack by forces using magic. They are extremely important to the survival of the Guild. I believe that our strongest and best magicians should be very well trained in Warrior skills."

There was silence for a few minutes as they both returned to eating the stew. Akkarin finished his third glass of wine and poured another. Sonea still had most of her wine left.

"Sonea, if the Guild were under attack from foreign or rogue magicians, would you fight to defend it?"

She frowned, "I would defend the Guild to the best of my ability against **any** magicians who were trying to destroy it." She looked at him pointedly, "Any magician, High Lord."

"Then you need to develop your Warrior skills. You will attend Lord Yikmo's lessons, starting tomorrow. I have arranged for you to have private lessons and you will continue with these lessons until Lord Yikmo tells me that you have mastered everything he has to teach you. Do you understand?"

She looked at him sullenly, "Yes High Lord."

Takan brought the next course, steamed fish in a hot sweet spicy sauce sitting on a bed of rice, and they both began to eat.

"And your discipline, High Lord?" Sonea suddenly asked.

"Before I became High Lord, I was a Warrior," he replied.

"That must be very useful in your other work," she said tartly. "I remember there was a lot of blood when I saw you in the underground room."

Akkarin stopped himself from seizing his Novice and giving her a good shake. No matter what sort of conversation they had, she always managed to make him feel either angry or guilty or, in this case, both.

"Yes," he said stiffly, "It is extremely useful in my…other work."

There was not much conversation after that and they both concentrated on finishing the fish and then eating the dessert. As soon as she had eaten the last mouthful of the pudding, Sonea asked to be excused and Akkarin was relieved to see her go.

He took a full bottle of Anuran Dark and his glass into his study and settled himself in the comfortable chair behind the desk. After a few minutes, Takan joined him and poured himself a glass of his favourite fruit juice.

"Well, was it better than last time?" Takan grinned as he glanced at his friend over the rim of his glass.

"We didn't actually come to blows," Akkarin grinned back. "But I wouldn't say it was an unqualified success. She doesn't want to have the extra Warrior training, although I noticed she cheered up a bit at the thought she might be able to fight me and win if she practised!"

Takan thought for a moment then said, "You know we've talked about you needing some help. You can't keep doing this night after night, all by yourself. What will happen if you are badly injured again? This girl – she knows what you do, but not why you do it. She's strong and she seems to be firm-minded. You would do worse than take her into your confidence."

Akkarin stared at his friend in surprise, "Take her into my confidence? She dislikes me now, in fact I think she hates me. She doesn't trust me and wouldn't believe a word I say."

"You've always said you couldn't risk telling another magician. Well, now you don't have to – she already knows." Takan paused, then leant forward and put his hand on Akkarin's arm, "You have to get some help. The Thieves are good a tracking down the Ichani, but you need another magician to fight alongside you."

There was a knock at the door and Takan hastily got to his feet and assumed a servant's position in front of the desk. "Come in!" Akkarin called. Another servant opened the door and handed a message to Takan who brought it to the High Lord.

He tore it open and quickly scanned its contents, and looked up at the servant, "Thank you – no reply."

After the door closed, Akkarin turned to Takan, "Cery has found another one. Get my things ready. I must go."

Later, in the passage outside the underground room, Takan caught him by the arm as he was leaving, "You will give some thought to telling the girl, won't you?"

Akkarin nodded and turned quickly. Takan watched him until he disappeared into the gloom of the tunnels, a slim figure, dressed in dark shabby clothing, his distinctive hair bundled up inside an old felt cap, his black magician's jewelled knife carefully hidden, and a dark, threadbare cloak wrapped around him.


	5. Return of the Warrior

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT World, it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

**Return of the Warrior**

Takan sat and waited. He was good at it. Every time Akkarin went out to kill the Ichani slaves, Takan waited in the underground room, ready to do whatever was necessary. He hated it. All the time he worried about Akkarin, where he was, what he was doing and most of all, how badly injured he was.

Some nights, the High Lord returned with no apparent injury and in a cheerful mood, having disposed of another threat against the Guild. Then, there was time for wine and fruit juice in celebration. But more often than not, he returned tired, bloody and weak, unable to do more than give himself a little Healing until he had taken strength from his servant. Takan had to admit that Akkarin had been lucky; the slaves sent to destroy him had not been able to kill him. However, Takan believed that sooner or later, Akkarin's luck would run out, then what would happen?

Takan's thoughts turned to Sonea. What he had seen of her, he liked. It was a pity that it had all come about in such an awkward way, but at least there was another potential ally for Akkarin and more importantly, one strong in magic, who could shoulder some of the burden. _He needs to make her more friendly towards him_, Takan mused. _I'm sure she's fair-minded and once she knows the truth, she would work well with him._

Takan heard a noise at the door and pulled it open. Akkarin half-fell into the room, blood was pouring from a cut on his head and there were bloody streaks down his right sleeve. As Takan grabbed him, Akkarin collapsed, his weight almost dragging Takan down with him. Takan laid him down on the floor and pulled aside the cloak. To his dismay, he could see a deep cut in Akkarin's shoulder and other cuts and gashes down his arm. He seemed to be unconscious and nothing his servant could do would rouse him.

Time was important, Takan knew. Akkarin had to take strength in order to Heal himself, but he couldn't do that if he was not conscious. None of the Healers could be asked to help, because there was no credible explanation for his injuries. But, now, of course, there was Sonea. Takan glanced at the High Lord again, _He won't like it but I don't have any choice,_ he thought. _He has to be Healed_.

He made him as comfortable as possible on the floor, then went upstairs to Sonea's room. It was very late and she was probably asleep, so Takan pounded heavily on the door until it opened. Sonea stood there, a shawl hastily thrown over her sleeping garments.

"What is it?" she said. "What do you want, Takan?"

"The High Lord needs you," he said quickly, "Please hurry." As she opened her mouth to protest, he added, "It's very important, please come."

She followed him downstairs, but as she saw where he was leading, she stopped. "I don't want to go down there," she said.

Takan, worried out of his mind, was in no mood to waste time trying to persuade her nicely, so he grabbed her arm and shouted, "You must come, Akkarin needs you. If there was any other way, I would not ask you!"

Sonea stared as he started to pull her along. Takan could see she was uncertain so he said, "Look, your help is needed. He won't hurt you, you know, and I'll be there too. Come on." She nodded and began to follow him down to the underground room. When she got there, she caught her breath as she saw Akkarin lying in a bloody heap on the floor.

As she knelt down, Takan explained what she must do. She took one of Akkarin's hands and began to send a flow of Healing. Takan got some water and cloths and began to wash the wounds. He tore the shirt from neck to waist and also the sleeve, so that he could see the extent of the gashes and cuts. There were a lot of them, many were quite deep and Sonea looked shocked as she saw how much blood Akkarin was losing.

Sonea stared at the High Lord's white face. He was still unconscious so she continued to send a steady stream of Healing through their linked hands and after a little while, his eyelids began to flutter. She let go his hand and Takan nudged her, "Don't stop!" he said, "He needs more Healing."

"What happened?" she asked Takan, as she resumed the flow.

The servant looked at her steadily, "The ones he fights – they try everything they can to kill him. They fight like devils, slashing and cutting, trying to take….."

"Takan!" Akkarin's eyes were open now and he was staring hard at his servant. "That's enough!"

This time, Sonea kept his hand and maintained the flow of Healing, but she looked down at him, "Are you going to tell me what happened, then?" she asked.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked. He flinched as Takan continued washing the cuts on his shoulder and arm. "I killed an assassin sent to kill me."

Sonea said nothing, just kept sending the Healing and watching Takan clean up the cuts. The High Lord's upper body was visible now the shirt was torn and she could see that he had a strong Warrior's body, well muscled and, she had to admit to herself guiltily, well shaped. After a few minutes, Akkarin gently removed his hand from hers.

"Thank you Sonea, I can manage now," he said. "You can go back to bed."

She sat back on her heels, a look of annoyance on her face, "What, sent back to bed like a naughty child? I was roused from my sleep and dragged down here to help. You still need help, so I'm staying!"

Takan snorted as Akkarin wearily closed his eyes again. "I'm not in a fit state to argue with you, Sonea," he said, his voice sounding tired. "Stay if you like…."

She took his hand again and resumed Healing. She watched the High Lord's face and noted when a little colour began to return. Takan had finished cleaning the cuts and was now binding them. He used no ointment, just clean pads of linen held in place by the bindings.

Takan gathered up all the blood stained cloths and the bowl of now dark pink water and took them away, leaving Akkarin alone with Sonea. He opened his eyes to find her still staring at him. He could feel the Healing she sent begin to deal with the pain and weariness. He tried to smile, "Thank you, Sonea, but you can really stop now. I'll be all right, Takan will look after me."

She let go his hand and got to her feet. She continued to look down at him, then she said, "It seems you could do with some more training in Warrior skills, High Lord." She turned and walked away, out of the room.

When Takan returned, he found Akkarin had managed to get up and sit in one of the chairs and there was no sign of Sonea. He raised an eyebrow at his friend, who smiled and said, "She's gone. I wish you hadn't had to call her. It certainly hasn't improved my credibility as a Warrior."

As Takan started to speak, Akkarin stopped him, "Yes, I realise there was no choice. Perhaps it will help her understand a little, but there's no way of knowing yet. Help me to my room, I'll be all right after a good night's sleep. She sent a lot of Healing to me, her strength is astonishing for such a young magician."

Takan made him comfortable in his room, then closed the door quietly. As he passed Sonea's room, he noticed light from under her door, so he knocked gently. She opened it almost at once and looked enquiringly at him.

"The High Lord is back in his room. Thank you for coming when I asked and helping with the Healing."

"Can you tell me what happened?" she asked.

He shook his head. "You must ask the High Lord. You know that you must not tell anyone about this, don't you?"

She nodded. "Good night, Takan"

"Good night, Lady Sonea."

He waited until her door closed, before making his way to his own room. He sighed with relief. _Another night almost over and another killer disposed of. Akkarin lives to fight another day, but for how long?_


	6. The Morning After

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world, it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

The Morning After

Akkarin rolled stiffly out of bed and sat on the edge. As far as he could tell, the cuts on his arm were almost completely Healed, but the deep cut in his shoulder was still painful and it was difficult to move his right arm. It had been a close run thing last night. The slave they'd sent this time had been determined but also cunning in his use of feet, hands and knife. The lengthy struggle had caused Akkarin to expend a lot of power and he had almost, but not quite, found it impossible to prevent the slave from draining him. _This time,_ he thought.

He got up, went over to the stand and poured water into the large bowl. He splashed it over his face and hands, then looked at his reflection in the mirror. He was pale, but otherwise he thought, no one would notice anything out of the ordinary. He mentally reviewed his day's appointments. Luckily there were very few, so he should be able to rest a little.

Akkarin dressed quickly, bathing would have to wait, as he had slept later than he'd intended. He saw no one on his way down to the dining room. The Residence was quiet and he wondered where his Novice was. He rang for breakfast and soon there was hot food on the table as well as a large pot of tea, all carried from the kitchen by Takan's assistants.

Takan himself brought the warm bread and honey and, after placing it on the table, took a long look at Akkarin.

"You are well, this morning?" he asked, conscious of other servants bringing food.

"Only a little stiff and sore," Akkarin replied. "I shall feel better after some hot food."

Their conversation was interrupted by the opening of the door and to both men's surprise Sonea came in the room and sat down.

"Good morning, High Lord." She looked at Takan, "I hope I'm not too late for some breakfast?"

She helped herself to a bread roll and liberally covered it with honey. She poured some tea and took a mouthful. As she set her cup down, Akkarin said dryly, "And what has brought you to the breakfast table this morning?"

She looked up and he thought he saw amusement in her dark eyes, "I realised that I might be missing out on interesting gossip if I continued to have breakfast in my room. I am the sort of person who likes to know what is going on."

He watched as she finished her roll and reached for another one. When she had eaten that, she pushed her plate aside, refilled her teacup and sat back in her chair. Takan and the other servants had left, so it was safe to talk.

"I want to know what happened last night." Her gaze was steady and he got the impression that she would sit there till midnight unless he said something to satisfy her curiosity.

"I told you last night, if you remember. I killed an assassin who had been sent to kill me. You know it has happened before, because of what you saw a long time ago. Unfortunately, it seems my enemies are training their assassins much better these days." He smiled ruefully. "Perhaps you are right and I need to practise my Warrior skills."

Her eyes narrowed, "Why should someone go to all this trouble to kill you? Is it because you are the High Lord?" she paused for a moment. "No, that can't be it, because with you dead, the Guild would simply elect another." She continued to regard him closely and he found the experience rather disturbing, although he couldn't identify why.

Sonea frowned, "You were hurt, that shouldn't happen to a strong magician, unless…." she thought for a moment, "….Unless the assassin was a magician too."

"Well done, Sonea, yes, the assassins all have magic. They are not Kyralian, but are from Sachaka, and they hate and fear the Guild. The assassins they send test the Guild's defences. If they succeed in penetrating them, then more will come and perhaps the Guild will fail."

Akkarin sat back in his chair and watched a series of expressions flash across her face, until all that was left was suspicion. As she noticed his scrutiny, all expression left her face.

"I see. What do the Higher Magicians think about this threat?" As he failed to reply, she said, "They don't know, do they? Why haven't you told them?"

Akkarin stared at her, trying to decide how much it was safe to tell her. Her suspicious look deepened as he failed to answer straight away and she half-rose from her chair.

"Think, Sonea. Why do you think I have not shared this information with the rest of the Guild?"

She sat down again, then stared at him, "You haven't told the Guild because they use forbidden magic, just like you, and you would have to tell them about the magic you use to stop them."

He nodded, "Perfectly correct, Sonea. The assassins use black magic." He watched her carefully and read her surface thoughts. She was very suspicious and she did not believe him.

Akkarin said, "It's getting late and you have classes. I'm sure I don't have to remind you not to discuss this conversation or what happened last night with anyone, anyone at all. Otherwise there will be unpleasant consequences."

She rose and said coldly, "May I be excused, High Lord?"

After she had gone, he stayed in the dining room, drinking more tea and thinking about what Takan had said. He knew that things were reaching a point where his death was becoming more likely. The last two or three slaves had been much better prepared and it had taken more strength and guile to defeat them. He knew how close he had come to disaster the previous night.

_Takan is right_, he thought, _I do need a magician to help me. The question is whether Sonea is willing and able to do so._

His reading of her thoughts this morning had revealed the extent of her dislike. She was still thinking about ways to defeat him, without harm coming to Rothen and Lorlen. It occupied a large part of her free time, but she had not yet arrived at an answer. He smiled to himself, _If it were not so difficult, it would be funny_, he thought, _Her thoughts told him that she didn't believe him because if what he said was true, she had no cause to dislike him, as she would understand the need for secrecy. But hating him was important to her. It was easier for her to assume he was lying._

He rubbed his forehead as he felt the beginnings of a headache. He could not afford to use up any more of his power at the moment, so no Healing; he supposed he would just have to put up with it. The last thing he wanted to do was engage in a battle of wits with a distrustful Novice. Trying to overcome her antipathy towards him would take a lot of his energy and quite frankly he wasn't sure he would be successful, or if he were, whether it would be worthwhile.

He looked up as Taken appeared at his elbow.

"Any progress?" the servant asked.

Akkarin shook his head, "Not really. She doesn't believe me."

Takan pulled a face, "Then where does she think the assassins come from? The state you were in last night should have told her the threat was real enough!"

"She thinks that the assassins might be good magicians trying to stop a bad magician!" Akkarin laughed softly, "You have to admit, it sounds a possibility."

Takan's frustration showed. "You're just going to have to work harder on her, Akkarin, and the sooner you start, the quicker it will be all sorted out."

Akkarin groaned, "It's easy for you to say. You don't know Sonea!"


	7. Memories

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

**Memories**

As he was serving the meal, Takan observed the two magicians. In the weeks since Akkarin's injury and Sonea's help with Healing, they had been on better terms. They met regularly for breakfast and the formal dinners Akkarin insisted on passed without incident.

_I wouldn't say the girl was particularly friendly_, Takan thought, _but at least she has stopped being so rude all the time!_

He watched Akkarin engage in friendly sociable exchanges, just like he did with the girls his mother tried to match him with. The girl responded lightly and at one point they shared a joke, both smiling at the description of a discomforted magician.

_Perhaps it will work_, he mused, _I've always thought he could charm the birds from the trees if he put his mind to it._

Takan's feelings about Akkarin were complex. Akkarin the man, he admired for his honesty and loyalty. Akkarin the diplomat he envied for his skill. Akkarin the magician, he feared, as he feared all magicians. But Akkarin the friend he loved unconditionally. Takan smiled to himself; for all his ability to read minds at will, Taken didn't believe that Akkarin knew the depth of his love or what he would be prepared to do to protect his friend.

These complex feelings grew out of their shared past as the slaves of a black magician. They had helped and protected one another as best they could and, in the end, Akkarin had saved Takan, killing all the other slaves, but leaving his friend alive. In return, Takan had cared for and protected Akkarin on the long journey back to Kyralia. _ And I care for and protect him still, _he thought.

He was dreading a message from the Thieves; that would mean another assassin had been located. Then he would have to hold his lonely vigil in the underground room waiting for Akkarin to return, and deal with the consequences.

The meal over, the two magicians left the dining room and Takan wondered what Sonea now felt about her Guardian. _Had she changed her mind enough to help? That was the important question._

Akkarin watched Sonea collect her things and disappear up to her room. He was pleased with the way the meal had gone, supper and not a formal dinner this time, but a useful opportunity to develop a relationship with his Novice.

He went into his study and reached for the bottle of wine. Pouring a large glass, he mentally reviewed what he had learned from reading Sonea's surface thoughts. She still distrusted him, but he was pleased to note that she was also considering the possibility that perhaps there was some truth in the story he had told her. _That is excellent progress_, he thought ironically, _She's gone from outright hatred to wariness and distrust! If I had another six months I could have her eating out of my hand!_

He considered how much time had passed since the last encounter with an Ichani. If they continued their previous pattern, he could expect another to arrive in the next few days. Too soon to expect any help from Sonea. _Although I am still not entirely sure that Takan is right there,_ he thought. _I would have to protect her and that would be a distraction in any battle._

On the other hand, he was pleased with the progress she had made with her Warrior skills. Yikmo had been very complementary the last time he had reported to the High Lord. She was holding her own in the battles with the other novices too. He had witnessed several occasions where she had managed to maintain her shield in the face of attacks by fifteen or so novices.

He thought back to the conversation over supper. There were times, when she had joined in enthusiastically; her whole face had lit up and her eyes had sparkled with amusement. She was a good mimic too, and they had both laughed at her impression of a frightened novice being confronted by old Lord Yiann outside the library.

He sipped his wine and found himself thinking of Sonea's physical appearance. She was not a tall woman, but, as far as he could tell under the robes, a shapely one. She had short curly hair which suited her, although he preferred long hair on a woman. She had fine, dark eyes fringed with thick lashes and when she smiles…

Akkarin stopped, _What am I thinking of_, he thought aghast, _She is my Novice, a child I have to protect!_

_Not such a child, _his treacherous mind continued. _She is almost a woman….and without a lover._

He put the empty wine glass down and refilled it. He tried to think of something else, but his mind refused to be diverted from thinking such pleasant thoughts as the physical attractions of his Novice. Pictures of Sonea smiling, Sonea sulking, Sonea laughing flashed through his mind. He could hear echoes of her voice, one time so loud that he found himself looking around the room in case she had come in unheard.

He took a large swallow of the wine. He could not believe that he was having thoughts such as these. He was the High Lord, a cold, mysterious man who had no lover and did not need one. His image had been carefully created to reinforce the mystery. He was a man, whose whole life was dedicated to his work. with no room for friendship and certainly no room at all for love. Not again, not after the pain of the last time.

Unbidden, a picture of his lost love drifted into his mind. He could see again the way the wind ruffled her long brown hair and the sun highlighted the powdering of freckles across her nose. He saw again the soft smile she greeted him with each morning.

"Stop!" for a moment, he wondered who had spoken, then realised it was himself. Five years ago, he had vowed never to think of her again and during the waking hours he had been successful. Only through nightmares did she enter his mind now, those times, deep in the night, when his conscious brain was asleep and he had no control over the images he saw. Then he would relive the anguish of loving his master's bed slave, of hearing her cries of pleasure and frequently of pain coming from Dakova's tent every night. Of seeing her being used to pleasure Dakova's important guests, out in the open, where all could watch. Of never even touching her in case Dakova found out and took his revenge. And worst of all, of being unable to save her when Dakova decided to kill her.

Akkarin felt tears gather in his eyes as he hid his face, his fingers pressing hard against his temples, trying to shut out the memories. Nothing worked. It was if his memories were on a never-ending loop, spooling through his brain so he saw the same things over and over and over again.

It took him several minutes to break the cycle and end the agony of reliving those painful events. He downed the wine and poured another. _It's a good thing Takan isn't here_, he thought, _He disapproves of so much wine_.

But a few glasses of wine calmed him and he was able to shut the door again, as he had done five years ago. He sat still for a moment, breathing slowly and steadily, thinking of one of his Warrior mental exercises, until he was under control again.

_I knew I should never have taken a female Novice_, he thought ruefully. _If only it had been a boy…._

Now that he was calm again, and strictly in control, he thought again of Sonea. He must fight any feelings of attraction to her. She was his responsibility to guard and protect, not a potential lover. He must take care that, in breaking down her dislike of him, he didn't create other feelings both in her, and in himself. _But I am so much older than her_, he thought. _She will never think of me as a lover. It is me I have to be careful about. _

He sipped his wine as his deceitful mind whispered….._but she is lovely and lonely. You are a man who deserves a lover. You could make her happy. No one would ever know. _


	8. Truth

**Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Truth

Akkarin read the message again. This time, it was different. The Thieves had captured one of the Ichani assassins alive and would keep him secure until the High Lord arrived to deal with him. It was most unusual to capture an Ichani in this way, so he was probably not as well prepared as the others and perhaps less dangerous. _This presents me with an interesting opportunity_, he thought. _I could use it to ensure that Sonea knows the truth about what I do._

He paused for a moment. _Why was it so important for her to know the truth? She is not a black magician. I can't expect her to fight. Her power would be useful but I have managed so far with Takan. So why?_

But, in truth, he did know why. Ever since he had found himself thinking of Sonea as an attractive woman, not simply a hostage or Novice, it had seemed so important that she believed him true and honest. _I want her to think well of me_.

He laughed softly to himself. _You are turning into a fool. There are proper reasons to tell her. It will stop her trying to find ways to defeat me for a start. And, of course, her power will be very useful if the assassins keep getting better._

He looked up at Takan and told him the gist of the message.

"What will you do?" Takan asked.

"I shall take Sonea with me. I can use this to make sure she understands what it is all about."

Takan nodded in satisfaction, "She will be a strong ally, Akkarin. I shall feel happier knowing you have someone with you who has magic. Shall I fetch her?"

Akkarin nodded and within a few minutes, Sonea was standing in his study, a faint look of irritation on her face.

"Good evening, High Lord, you wanted to see me?" she said.

"I want you to come into the city with me tonight. There is something, no, someone I want you to see."

She frowned, "I have work to do for my Healing test tomorrow. Can it wait?"

"No," he said sharply. "It must be done tonight. You will meet me by my underground room in ten minutes. If you have forgotten the way, Takan will show you."

She glared, "I know where it is." She turned to leave, "In ten minutes, then." The door closed with a loud click behind her.

Akkarin and Takan exchanged glances. "It seems my Novice is not in the best of moods tonight. I wonder what sort of a mood she will be in when we return."

By the time Sonea arrived at the underground room, Akkarin had changed into the usual shabby clothing he wore for this sort of task. From the imposing leader of the Guild, he had now turned into a nondescript person, who would be unremarkable amongst the city folk. He passed Sonea a long, dark cloak, which securely covered her robes.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she did up the long row of buttons.

"I am going to show you something which will ensure you know the truth about what I do."

She frowned, "I'm not sure I want to know any more. What I know already has made my life almost unbearable!"

Akkarin decided that further argument or attempts at persuasion would be unproductive, so he assumed his stern and forbidding High Lord expression and said in a firm voice, "You will come with me and you will learn the truth. You have no choice except to obey."

He took her through the passages, past magical barriers and up hidden stairs, until they reached part of the Thieves Road. They walked quickly for about five minutes, until they reached an intersection where someone was waiting. The man nodded to Akkarin, stared at Sonea, then set off, gesturing them to follow. The next part of the journey involved twists and turns, through narrow lanes and through deserted yards of slum dwellings until they reached a run-down cottage at the end of a lane. Their guide left them and Akkarin opened the door and pulled Sonea into a small room.

Inside, a large man looked up and nodded in recognition. "He's in there," he said and pointed to a stout door. Akkarin turned to Sonea, "Wait here, I won't be long."

He went in to the room and closed the door. Lying on a sturdy wooden bench was a young man whose arms and legs were securely chained to the bench so he couldn't move. His eyes opened wide in terror as he saw Akkarin approach, but he was unable to move even slightly.

Akkarin put his hand on the prisoner's forehead and concentrated. After a few moments, he forced open the man's mouth and pulled out the blood gem concealed in a tooth and smashed it. Then he opened the door and called Sonea. She came into the room and her eyes widened as she saw the prisoner, but she said nothing. She walked over to Akkarin and stared down at the young man.

"This is another assassin," Akkarin said. "And I am going to teach you how to find out the truth about these people." As she looked questioningly at him, he added, "I am going to teach you how to read an unwilling mind. This is a dangerous skill if misused, so you are going to swear never to use it unless Kyralia is in danger. Do you understand?"

For a moment he thought she was going to argue, but then she nodded. "I'm willing to swear."

Oaths out of the way, Akkarin took her hand and, covering it with his own, placed it on the man's forehead. _I am going to enter your mind_, he sent_. Do nothing. _

He felt her deep unease as he easily eluded her barriers and stood, a solid presence in her mind. _To be successful, you must allow your presence to become like a faint mist, so the mind's owner cannot sense you enough to fight you. _He let his solid presence dissolve as he spoke. He sensed Sonea's puzzlement as she tried to follow the suggestion, so he communicated what was needed, not in words, but in the essential essence of thought and saw her grab the idea and begin to use it.

Together, they both drifted into the prisoner's mind and he guided Sonea so that she saw the young man's history, his life as an Ichani slave, the task his master had given him and what he intended to do once he was in Imardin. Akkarin sensed her growing understanding, and the fear, which accompanied it.

Now you search his memories, I will leave you to do this on your own. This way, you will learn the truth without any interference from me.

He watched Sonea sort through the memories with increasing confidence. One in particular caught her interest and he saw her learn how much the Ichanis hated and feared Akkarin and why they were determined to kill him. His past as a black magician's slave was laid bare to her and he felt her shock as the memories unwound in the prisoner's head.

_Stop!_ he sent suddenly, as the memories started to lead towards the black magic used on the Ichani. He took control again and they left the assassin's mind abruptly.

She turned to him, "Why did you do that?" He smiled, "So that you would not learn, what you do not want to learn. Now wait outside." She gave him a direct, searching look, but said nothing as she realised what he was going to do. Once she had left, Akkarin reached for his jewelled knife. As the Ichani saw it, he began to plead in a hoarse voice, but Akkarin ignored him. There would not be very much power in the slave, but it would be a shame for it to go to waste. He made a shallow cut on the man's neck and placed his hand over it. When it was all over, Akkarin wiped the knife and his hands on some rags he found in the corner. _Now to face Sonea_, he thought.

She was waiting silently in the outer room, and looked up as he came in. After a quiet word with the guard, he went over to her and looked at her closely. She was pale, but she showed no obvious distress.

He smiled briefly, "You will need to have some time to think over what you have learned tonight. We can talk about this in more detail later."

Back at the Residence, Sonea excused herself and went to her room. Akkarin went to his study, where Takan soon joined him, eager to find out how Sonea had reacted.

"It's hard to tell," Akkarin said quietly. "She asked no questions and there was no obvious reaction. I have taken a big risk by teaching her to read minds at will and only time will tell if I have made a mistake."

Later, as he sipped his favourite wine, Akkarin considered what he would do if Sonea still failed to believe him. _In one way, the position is no worse,_ he mused. _She distrusted me before tonight, so if she continues to do so, I am no worse off. On the other hand, I have taught her a skill, which could make her more dangerous to me._

He sighed. _It's no use worrying about it yet_, he thought_. Let's wait and see what she says tomorrow._

Although it was very late, he continued to sit in his comfortable chair by the fire, indulging in the dangerous pleasure of thinking about Sonea. It seemed to be harder and harder not to think about her, and there were times, especially when he was tired, that all his mental control deserted him so that she was always at the forefront of his mind.

He wondered if she had noticed this evening, when he placed his hand over hers, that his had trembled slightly.


	9. Consequences

Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi CanavanConsequences

Sonea did not appear for breakfast and when he enquired, Akkarin was told she had left the Residence early that morning and no one knew where she had gone. But Akkarin did. He had known for some time that she had found a private place, deep in the forest, where she could sit and think unobserved. As soon as he was able, he went to find her.

He moved through the trees quietly, hoping he could approach her refuge unobserved. It would give him a chance to try to find out how she was and perhaps read her surface thoughts before she had a chance to dissemble. Sonea was sitting on the grass, her back against a rock. She was staring, unseeing, at the trees ahead of her, almost motionless. Akkarin felt his heart begin to pound in his chest. _What has she decided? _He tried to read her thoughts, but all he could pick up were blurred impressions of confusion and uncertainty.

He moved silently towards her and sat down at her side. She looked up suddenly as he said, "It's a peaceful spot, isn't it? I used to come here often when I was a novice. Not many people know of it, so it's a good place to think." His tone was light but as he turned towards her, he saw the hot colour flood into her face, and then recede, leaving it pale as before.

"I needed to think," she said. "I have been awake most of the night. The Residence is not a good place to think, I have found."

There was silence for a moment and he could still sense the uncertainty in her mind. He began to speak, keeping his voice light and even.

"I have always liked challenge, easy things bored me quickly. I chose Warrior skills because I enjoyed the physical exertion linked to the precise exercise of magic. I was a strong magician and I graduated as the best Warrior of my year. I thought that nothing and no one could challenge my prowess, so future life in the Guild seemed to be one of routine and boredom. I decided to travel and investigate old and different forms of magic."

"I set out with the arrogant belief that I would make astonishing discoveries so that on my return to the Guild, I would not only be the best Warrior, but also the best magician, they had ever seen. My travels eventually took me to Sachaka, a mysterious land to most Kyralians. I knew that Sachakians were magicians, outside the control of the Guild, but I was strong and had no fear of being defeated if they challenged me."

He laughed bitterly, "You can't imagine how arrogant and how stupid I was. It was a matter of moments for Dakova to defeat and capture me. He was a black magician, more powerful than any magician I had ever encountered before. He read my mind with ease and discovered the Guild did not practise black magic. In his eyes, the Guild was weak and powerless and once the Ichani were united, the Guild was theirs for the taking."

"Dakova kept me alive as a slave. He drained my power every day to keep me weak. When I tried to escape, he recaptured me easily. He enjoyed the chase, he said. He also enjoyed the punishments afterwards."

"I won't bore you with details of life as a slave in a black magician's camp, but deep down, I never gave up hope of escaping. I promised myself that if I got back to Kyralia, I would stay in the Guild and become a staid magician like the others. No more adventure and challenge for me!"

"Eventually circumstances suddenly became favourable to me. I was sent out of the camp to find something Dakova wanted and met another Ichani who was his bitterest enemy. He offered to teach me how to defeat Dakova and of course, I agreed. The price I paid for that opportunity was to become a black magician myself. I knew it was forbidden, but at that moment I didn't care. I wanted to kill Dakova for a lot of reasons and this was the only way to do it."

Akkarin paused and looked over at Sonea, she hadn't moved, while he told his story and her thoughts were still swirling, with no clear direction he could identify.

"So, I was able to kill Dakova, and all his slaves, except for Takan who was my friend. I used my black magic skills to make myself strong for the journey back to Kyralia. The rest you know, I returned, I was welcomed and a few weeks afterwards, I was elected High Lord."

Sonea moved at last. She turned to look directly into his eyes, almost as if she could find absolute certainty there, "What is the connection between what you've just told me and the assassins?"

"The Ichani are fragmented into a number of small groups, each one controlled by a strong leader. They frequently fight amongst themselves, which keeps them relatively weak, but Dakova and his brother Kariko had a dream to unite them into one strong force, which would be able to attack Kyralia. The assassins are sent to test the defences of the Guild. If one of them succeeds, either by killing me or by living, unnoticed in the city for any length of time, the rest of the Ichani will invade."

"You should tell the Guild. Once they know the threat, they will help you defend Kyralia." Her voice was firm.

"I cannot tell them without revealing my black magic practices. They would not follow me once they knew I had broken my vows. No, I have to wait until I have discovered a way to defeat the Ichani without using black magic. Until then I have to continue killing the assassins."

"And if you are killed? What then?" Sonea asked.

"You will be able to tell them what has been going on. You know it all now, Sonea. You are my insurance policy and my death will not matter so much now."

Akkarin watched her closely. Her face was paler than ever and stared down at her hands, lying in her lap. "Thank you for explaining what all this means," she said at last. "May I have the rest of the day to think over what you've told me?"

He nodded, "We'll have supper and then we can talk. In the meantime, you should return to class. The High Lord's Novice cannot be seen to take time off without permission."

He rose smoothly to his feet and held out his hand to help her rise. As she took it he caught the sense of her in his mind, and because he hadn't been expecting it, none of his defences were in place. Before he had time to react, she had drawn a shuddering breath and snatched her hand away. She turned and ran off through the trees but not before he had seen the deep red flush, which spread across her face.

He stared after her, wondering what she had seen to cause such a reaction. _I should not have taught her to mind read,_ he thought_. But if I hadn't, she would never have believed me. Everything I do has unintended consequences. It almost seems as if I am not destined to win._


	10. Further Consequences

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world, it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Further Consequences

Supper had been a rather strained affair with both Akkarin and Sonea finding it difficult to keep up their usual light, social chatter in front of the servants. Now supper was over and they were sitting in the comfortable chairs by the fireplace, each with a large glass of wine to hand.

Akkarin smiled inwardly, it was almost as if neither of them wanted to make the first move and discuss what must be discussed. Well, he was the High Lord, so he supposed it was up to him.

"You've had a long time to think about everything that has happened recently, Sonea. Have you reached a conclusion?"

"I believe you," she said. "I have tried to see how you could have put those things into that young man's mind for me to find, and I cannot. I can only think that it is all true. There is a terrible threat to the Guild and I now understand why you cannot tell anyone about it. We have to decide what to do next."

Akkarin schooled his face to show no emotion, although inside he was elated. Finally, she believed him and surely that would take away the last feelings of dislike. He liked the way she had said "We" in such a decisive way.

"I want to help you," she said. "I **can** help you, I am strong and you made sure I developed my Warrior skills. You once asked me once if I would use any means to defend the Guild. I said I would. I know why you asked me that now. I am willing to learn black magic."

He felt himself grow cold, that was not what he meant at all. "I cannot teach you black magic. Do you know what the consequences are if you are discovered? The punishment could mean execution. At best, you would be expelled from the Guild with your powers blocked, and sent into exile. No, I will not teach you black magic under any circumstances."

She frowned, "Then why did you tell me all this? How can I help you without black magic?"

"I had intended that you would give me some of your power. Black magicians can store power for as long as they need it. Your strength would provide me with a lot of power and I can take it from you without using magic forbidden by the Guild. If I am discovered, you are safe because there is no law against giving another magician power."

He was surprised to see something like disappointment cross her features before she said, "I see."

"Come, let me show you. Give me your hand."

He took one of her hands between his own and said, "Just send power like you do in Warrior training," and he immediately felt the first trickles of her power flow into him. His heart began to beat painfully loudly as the intimacy of the process became apparent to him. Part of Sonea's essence was flowing into his body and he could feel his own magic source open to it and embrace it, making it part of himself.

He forced his mind towards more practical things. He mustn't take too much. "That's enough Sonea," he said but as the flow of power stopped, he suddenly felt cut off and alone and part of him wanted to take all of her, to absorb every element of her until she was part of him completely.

She looked at him, "That's all you want me to do? There's nothing else?"

He smiled crookedly, "You sound almost disappointed. Surely you don't want to become like me, a Guild magician who has broken all the solemn vows made at graduation?" He strove to keep his tone light, "You have a very good future in the Guild ahead of you. There is nothing you couldn't do, if you put your mind to it. I will not put that at risk, any more than I have to."

To his surprise, she got up and came over to where he was sitting and knelt on the floor beside him. She looked steadily at him and said, "Give me your hand."

He stared, _What could she mean?_ Then he remembered the incident in the forest, when she had taken his hand, then snatched it away quickly. _What had she seen in his mind?_

He said in a firm voice, "Sonea, get up. I don't need any more power, I have enough." _Would that be sufficient to stop her?_

She ignored him, and said, "Akkarin, give me your hand." She had never called him by his name before and the sound of it reverberated inside him. He said, "Why?"

She smiled, "I think you know," and reached for his hand before he could stop her. This time, his defences were ready, but he could sense her presence quite strongly in his mind and just before the barriers snapped into place, she caught the edge of a stray thought and he could feel her emotions, surprise, warmth and hope.

She kept hold of his hand, looking into his eyes, then she moved and before he could do anything to avoid it, she kissed him on the lips. He was conscious of two completely opposite reactions. One told him to get away from her as quickly as possible, before too much damage was done. The other caused him to stand up and pull her into his arms as he kissed her back fiercely. He felt her arms encircle him as she pressed herself against him. Her body moulded itself to his perfectly, and he thought for one mad moment that they were made for each other. Then reality rushed in on him. He gently disentangled himself from her, creating a small distance between them.

"No, Sonea, No," he said softly. "You must not."

She looked at him, "Why not? I sensed it this morning; you have feelings for me. I felt it again just then. Your feelings are quite strong." She smiled, "You think I'm attractive!"

"You are a very young woman, Sonea, and you deserve someone of your own age. I am so much older than you, practically a different generation. It would not be right."

"That is a poor argument. There are many marriages in the Houses where older men marry younger women. I've heard some say that such an arrangement is an ideal one, an experienced man looking after a younger lover."

His mouth was dry as he heard her use the word "lover". _Is that how she sees me? _he thought in astonishment. _Was it only a few days ago she disliked me?_

"You forget, I am your Guardian and my duty is to protect you and in any case, intimate relationships between guardians and novices are forbidden. There are good reasons for those rules, it would be easy for an older man to take advantage of an innocent young novice."

She laughed, a light, musical sound, "What about a young Novice taking advantage of her Guardian? Ah, Akkarin, I have wanted to kiss you for a long time. There have been many nights when I have lain awake, knowing you were sleeping nearby, and wondering how I might find an opportunity to do this."

She moved into his arms again and pulled his face down to hers. This time, her kiss was passionate and he felt his resistance start to fail. He gave himself up to feelings of warm delight, letting them wash over him, and pushing thoughts of the consequences to the back of his mind.

It took a few moments before his mind cleared. This would not do. This time, he moved farther away from her and stood, his arms crossed, a cold fierce look on his face.

"No, I will not take this any further," he said sternly. "There is important work to do and I will not be diverted from it by you. I have not done all that I have done over the last few years, just to throw it away. You distract me from my work, Sonea, and I cannot let that happen. We must both forget this ever happened. Are you able to do that?"

Throughout his little speech, she had been looking at him, the colour coming and going in her face. By the time he had finished, her face had become a mask.

When she spoke, her voice was firm, "You don't want my help, except to feed you power. You don't want any intimate relationship with me. In fact you don't really want me at all. It must be quite a burden to have a useless Novice to worry about, living in your house. Perhaps it is best for me simply to regard myself as a hostage again."

She walked towards the door, then paused, "Please may I be excused, High Lord."

He winced at the cold emphasis she placed on his title. "Yes, of course. Good night, Sonea."

As the door closed behind her, he felt like picking up something large and heavy and throwing it as hard as he could at something else. He blamed himself entirely. The danger signs were there and he hadn't noticed them. He may be good at fighting and killing black magicians, he may be able to save the Guild, but when it came to dealing with a twenty-year-old girl, he was hopeless!

_Two kisses and my reactions to them have probably undone all the good work I have done over the last few days,_ he thought. _Where do we go from here?_

He sat in the chair, sipping wine and thinking until the fire died down and he was ready for sleep. Tomorrow was another day and he would try to regain some of the lost ground with his resentful Novice. But, behind all the worry and fears for the future, there was one unexpected bright thread amongst the dark, _She has feelings for me._


	11. Takan's Dilemma

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Takan's Dilemma

Takan didn't understand it at all. It had seemed to be going so well. Day by day, he had seen the relationship between Akkarin and Sonea thaw and the hostility slowly fade into something like a normal relationship between a guardian and novice. Now, they were behaving like Sonea had in the first few days, barely speaking at the few meals they still took together. Sonea had even stopped coming down for breakfast.

Any day now, another message would come from the Thieves and Akkarin would need to destroy another black magician. _And he will have to do it alone_, Takan thought despairingly.

He had tried to talk to Akkarin, hoping to find out what had gone on that evening, but the High Lord had simply refused to say anything at all. "Sonea and I discussed the matter and nothing has changed," he had said, but Takan didn't believe it was a simple as that. He had seen the girl looking at Akkarin when she thought he wouldn't notice and he would swear that she had been coming round to the idea of joining the fight.

Takan had been a slave and now he was a servant. He was fully aware of his place in Kyralian society. A servant may notice things, but did not comment on them, _except to other servants, _he thought with some amusement. It was not his place to bang heads together, but he felt like it.

He knew Akkarin well, he had made it his goal to study the man and understand him, so that he could better serve him. He could recite long lists of the High Lord's good qualities, but he also knew there were less positive aspects of his character. H_e's stubborn like a mule and he can be arrogant, believing most of the time that only he could do something or understand something,_ he thought. _Often, he has been proved right, but I don't think he is right this time!_

The girl was another matter. Takan didn't know her well at all, although he liked what he had seen over the past few months. She seemed to be the perfect partner for helping Akkarin with his secret work, a strong magician and one who was not frightened at the thought of dealing with difficult problems. _I expect she can be as pig-headed as Akkarin, though, _he mused. _The question is, which one of them is easier to tackle!_

It was early evening and classes were over for the day, but Sonea had not yet returned to the Residence. She had started staying away until the last possible moment again, but Takan knew she was expected for dinner this evening. _I must try to talk to her, _he thought. _Perhaps she will tell me what's happened._

Akkarin was already in the dinning room, when Takan heard the front door of the Residence slam and heard Sonea's footsteps run lightly across the floor and up the stairs. Akkarin looked pointedly at the clock and poured himself another glass of wine. It was his second of the evening, so far, and Takan was disturbed to see just how much he was drinking these days. _That's a bad sign,_ he thought. _Akkarin has always liked a glass or two, but these days it's becoming a bottle or two!_

The door opened, and Sonea came in.

"Good evening, High Lord," she said. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"Good evening, Sonea, please try to remember the times of meals. The servants have worked hard to prepare the food, we don't want it to be spoiled." His voice was cool and distant.

Sonea pulled a face, but did not reply. She sat down opposite him and stared down at her plate. As Takan held out the serving dish, she took a couple of spoonfuls of the pickled vegetables and plonked them on her plate, where they sat, two small islands in the middle of a large, white sea.

Akkarin served himself sparingly, then looked at his Novice, "How were your lessons today?"

As Takan stood by the serving table, he listened to the painful conversation between them. _It's just like the first week!_ he thought. _I'm not letting this go on and if they won't do something, I will!_

Eventually, all the courses had been served and Akkarin had finished the bottle of Anuran Dark. Neither had had much of an appetite, so it looked as if the kitchen servants would eat well tonight. Sonea excused herself at the first possible opportunity and Akkarin took himself and a second bottle of Anuran Dark into his study.

_That's good_, thought Takan. _If he drinks that, he won't be interested in sitting in my head, listening to what I say. _The blood gem connection could be a nuisance at times, although Takan knew that Akkarin wasn't constantly tuned in. _I certainly hope he won't be listening tonight._

As soon as he had finished in the kitchen, Takan went to check on Akkarin. He was still in his study and showed no signs of moving, so Taken went upstairs to Sonea's room. Although it was late, he could see she still had her light on so he tapped on her door.

"Who is it?" her voice sounded wary.

"Takan, my lady. Could I speak with you for a moment?"

The door opened to reveal Sonea, still in her robes, a book in hand. She didn't look particularly pleased to see him, but politely listened as he explained that he needed to talk to her privately. She looked at him strangely for a moment, then motioned him inside and shut the door.

"Did the High Lord send you?" she asked.

"No, my lady, he doesn't know I'm here and I don't intend to tell him either."

Sonea smiled briefly at that. "Well, you'd better tell me what you want."

He paused, "This is not easy for me Lady Sonea, I am a servant and it is not my place to criticise my betters, but the situation between you and the High Lord makes things very difficult. It seemed to me as if you understood the truth of what Lord Akkarin does and why he does it. I thought that would make you want to help him."

She sighed, "Of course I know the truth now and I told him I would do everything I could to help, but he doesn't want me or my help. He only wants my power, nothing else. He expects me to sit in the Residence until required while he does all the difficult things like killing dangerous black magicians."

Takan was beginning to see a possible reason for Akkarin's reaction and he debated with himself whether or not to explain it to Sonea. He decided, that it was important that she understood.

"A number of years ago, Lord Akkarin was fond of a young girl who lived a difficult life, fraught with danger. He wanted to protect her, but in the end he failed and she was killed. It made a great and painful impression on him and I think he wants to protect you from any danger, in case he can't save you if you are both fighting black magicians."

Sonea turned away and went to stare out of the window. She was silent for a few minutes then asked, "You said he was fond of her? Did he have feelings for her?"

"I can say no more, my lady, it would not be right. I feel bad about talking about these things, but I'm more worried that Lord Akkarin will begin to fail, if he is left completely on his own to deal with these assassins."

"I agree, but I can't see what I can do, Takan. I've tried, but the High Lord refuses to teach me anything to do with black magic and unless he does, I can't help him in any fight, I would not be strong enough."

"You need to talk to him again, my lady. I'm sure you could persuade him." Takan didn't know what else to say to her. She seemed distracted but she surprised him with her next question. "Has the High Lord got a lover?"

"A lover, my lady? What has that got to do with it?

"Just answer, has he?"

As Takan stared at her, a faint colour crept into her cheeks. _Is that it?_ _Is there something going on between them? No, that's not it at all! There is nothing going on between them, but perhaps one of them thinks there should be!_

"No, my lady." He couldn't identify the expression which showed briefly on her face, but he guessed it was something like relief. _Yes,_ s_he's the one who wants something to be going on,_ he thought.

"I will try to talk to him again. Is he in the Residence this evening?"

"He is in his study my lady, but if you will take my advice, I wouldn't try to speak to him tonight. He is tired and has drunk quite a bit of wine. Perhaps tomorrow would be better. We can expect another assassin in a few days, so time is running out."

As she went with him to the door she said, "Thank you for talking to me, it can't have been easy. Despite what it looks like or what you might think, I do care what happens and I wouldn't want the High Lord to be badly hurt or killed."

Later, in his room, Takan thought about his conversation with Sonea. He had been very uncomfortable during it, conscious all the time that he was doing something Akkarin would not approve of. He considered what he had learned. Sonea did believe Akkarin and offered to help, but had been refused. It would be typical of Akkarin to refuse help from a woman for fear he couldn't protect her; stupid, and pig-headed perhaps, but also endearing in its way. But Sonea and her feelings that was a surprise. _I wonder if Akkarin knows how she feels_, he thought. _We both thought she disliked him, but perhaps she's a better dissembler than we realised. And what of Akkarin? What does he really think of his Novice?_

Just before he fell asleep, Taken sent a fervent prayer to the gods of his childhood, praying that Sonea would be able to persuade Akkarin to teach her black magic so that the evil could be defeated once and for all.


	12. Capitulation

**Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Capitulation

Akkarin hurried through the tunnels. He needed to get back to his room without running into Takan on the way. His servant would be dismayed to see the state he was in and would only start arguing again about getting Sonea involved. He glanced down at his arm and side, they were still bleeding, but at least, this time, he had some power remaining and could start the Healing process.

They had not sent a freed slave this time, but a fully trained and experienced black magician. She was very strong and had surprised him with her power and fighting ability. They had fought for some time before she had forced him to deplete his power maintaining his shield. In the end, she had escaped and he had no idea where she had gone.

This was the sort of disaster he had been dreading, a powerful black magician, lose in the city, free to take strength at will, free to set traps for him, free to kill him. _What if she is only the first of a group they are planning to send? What if this is the start of a concerted attack? How can I hope to contain them?_

He pushed the negative thoughts aside. First things first, he needed to get home, clean up and Heal himself properly. He chose not to take his usual route to the underground room. Faithful Takan would be waiting there and Akkarin couldn't face him yet. However, there was another passage, not often used, which would take him to the first floor of the Residence.

_At least, Sonea won't be waiting up for me! _ he thought wryly. Their relationship had not improved since the night he had refused her. She barely spent any time anywhere near him. It was a bittersweet victory for him. At least, she fully understood the truth and had no reason now to think him evil. But he felt the loss of her company far more than he'd thought he would.

He opened the door into the alcove and stepped into the Residence. He listened for a moment, but could hear nothing. His room was only a short distance away, beyond Sonea's, and he was sure he could make it without alerting anyone. He moved out into the corridor then saw Takan standing only a few feet away, near his room, and looking anxious.

Before the servant could open his mouth to speak, Akkarin sent him a command to remain silent and pushed past him into the safety of his room. Takan followed and as soon as the door was shut, asked, "What happened?"

Akkarin ignored him, moving instead into the alcove where a large mirror stood. He stripped off the bloody shirt and examined the wounds left by the Ichani's knife. The shallow ones were Healing slowly, but the deeper cuts were still bleeding. There were several which curved round his side and on to his back. They would be difficult to reach and he would need Takan's help.

_Takan? Fetch water and cloths_, he sent. He sat on the edge of his bed, he fought the compulsion to lie down and sleep, there was no time, he had to think what to do next.

He heard the door open with relief. Once his cuts had been cleaned and bound, he should have recovered a bit more strength to divert into Healing. He felt a cool damp cloth gently dab at the cuts on his back and then felt a tingle as Healing tickled into the cuts.

He turned sharply and found Sonea standing behind him with the water basin. She smiled slightly and continued to wash each cut then send Healing into it. He could feel the effects almost straight away. It didn't take her long to deal with all the wounds, then she put the basin down and took his hand. He could feel her power flow into him as his tiredness began to lift. Through it all, they had not exchanged any words, but at last he said, "How did you know?"

"Takan was worried, he thought you needed Healing quickly," she said.

Akkarin looked around, but his servant was not in sight. Sonea laughed softly, "He is staying out of your way for the moment."

He got to his feet and looked down at Sonea. "Thank you for helping, Sonea," he said and smiled.

Although he didn't say anything more, his actions clearly indicated his wish for Sonea to leave. He wasn't entirely surprised, though, when she showed no signs of going. Instead she moved closer to him and put her fingers over one of the now-healing cuts. She gently traced the route the black magician's knife had made along his flesh and he felt a tingling sensation trace the journey of her fingers. He caught his breath and started to say something, but she gently laid the fingers of her other hand across his lips.

"Hush," she whispered and pressed herself against him. He was conscious she was only wearing a thin silk sleeping gown, so he could feel the warmth from her skin against his own. Then her hands reached up and pulled his face down towards her and almost of their own volition, his mouth covered hers.

He lost himself in her embrace, not trying this time to pull away. _Don't try to say anything,_ she sent. _Just follow where your desires lead and you will find me there._

Somehow he found himself lying on his bed, Sonea in his arms. He undid the neck cord of her sleeping gown and pushed the soft silk down to her waist. It was now too late to stop even if he still wished to do so. His body's needs, so long denied, now drove him and he could sense the same desire in Sonea. Once before, he had thought them made for each other and the growing physical passion between them confirmed it. As the waves of pleasure sweeping their bodies flowed faster and stronger, their magical power met and mingled as together they reached the peak in an explosion of sensations.

They lay quietly for a few moments, then he said, "Sonea….." but she covered his mouth with hers and sent, _It's not time to talk yet. _ So he lay still, her warm body moulded to his, their arms and legs entangled and only the sound of their breathing to disturb the silence.

Afterwards, he was never sure how long they spent wrapped in each other. It might have been a few minutes or a few hours. All he knew was that he didn't want it to end, didn't want the reality of their situation to intrude and spoil the sense of joining they shared. But reality can only be kept at bay for a short while.

"Sonea," he said gently, "We do need to talk."

She smiled, "Yes, we do." She paused for a moment, "Akkarin, I've never had a lover. I never wanted one, until I met you. For a long time, I didn't understand. I thought I hated you, and life was simple. But I began to think about you….a lot…..and because I didn't know the truth, I thought I was falling in love with evil. I tried everything to stop, but I couldn't. I had no hope that you'd want me, until that day in the forest when I sensed your thoughts."

Akkarin sighed, "I never intended you should ever find out and I'm sorry. But everything I said to you the other night is true. We must not do this, Sonea."

"But why not? I want you and you have feelings for me. I don't have a lover and neither do you. And Novice seduced Guardian, so I can't see the problem. Besides, who is going to find out?"

He laughed, "You see things so simply, Sonea. It's more complicated than that."

"If you mean black magic, the simplest thing is for you to teach me. We can then protect each other. I don't know exactly what happened this evening, but it would have been easier with two of us, instead of just you. I don't want to see you come home, injured or worse, not come home at all."

"Once you become a black magician, there's no going back. It can't be undone. If you're caught, it could mean execution. Are you sure you want this, Sonea?"

"Yes! I want it for two reasons. Like I told you before, I would do anything to defend the Guild against anyone who tried to destroy it. But, more than that, I want it so I can help and protect you." She looked directly into his eyes, "I care for you very much, Akkarin, and I want you to be safe. With two of us, the chances are so much better."

"You will not give this up, will you?" he asked. "Every day you're going to ask the same question. It seems, therefore, I have no choice. I will teach you, Sonea."

She smiled, "That leaves only one more thing….."

Akkarin looked at her, staring deeply into her eyes, "Yes, I want that too." He kissed her and his hands drifted over her body, as desire grew in both of them again.


	13. Takan's Satisfaction

**Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Takan's Satisfaction

Takan stood by the serving table, ready to serve breakfast as he had been for some time. Neither of the two residents had put in an appearance and the servant smiled to himself. He had returned to Akkarin's room in the middle of the night to see if he were needed. He noticed that Sonea's door was open and he could see her room was empty. He listened at Akkarin's door and heard the low murmur of voices inside, so he had gone away again, leaving them undisturbed. At some point, Sonea had returned to her own room, because Viola had taken up her hot drink at the usual time and not mentioned anything out of the ordinary.

The door opened and Akkarin came in. Takan looked at him carefully, he looked much better than he had last night, _Although it's hard to say he looks rested_, Takan thought with amusement.

"Good morning, Takan," Akkarin said. "That was a low trick you played on me last night. You did well to disappear!"

"Good morning, Master," he replied, "It looks as if it did what it was meant to do, though. You look much better." Takan kept an innocent expression on his face, but it didn't prevent the High Lord giving him a rather sharp look.

_Takan, don't try to pretend with me! I can read all your emotions easily! _Akkarin's mental voice didn't sound annoyed, though.

Sonea arrived a few minutes afterwards and Takan noticed that her usual pale colour had turned pink. She glanced quickly at Akkarin, then looked away, just like she used to do, but Takan had noticed the warm smile she sent.

"Good morning, High Lord," she said, bowing, before sitting down.

Akkarin laughed cheerfully, "As Takan seems to know you spent most of last night in my bedchamber, I think it would be safe to omit the formalities when we are in private."

Sonea grinned, "In that case…" and she got up, went over to Akkarin and kissed him before returning to her seat. She exchanged a long look with the High Lord, and Takan could only assume they were talking mind-to-mind because she suddenly giggled and Akkarin looked rather smug.

Takan began serving the food and was pleased to see that both had good appetites. Takan was a strong believer in the power of good food to make people feel better and ready to face anything the day might throw at them! Sonea ate a big bowl of porridge and cream, followed by three warm rolls with honey. Akkarin managed several rolls and a plate of hot meat. The conversation bubbled along as the food diminished in the serving bowls and the hot drinks cooled and were replenished.

Akkarin was in the middle of an anecdote, when he stopped suddenly and his face assumed the closed expression of one listening to mental communication. He stood up and said, "I have to go and I'm not sure when I'll be back. I've left some books for you to read in my study. Have a look at them and we can discuss them later this evening."

After he'd gone, Sonea lolled back in her chair and sat looking at nothing in particular, with a crooked smile on her face. Takan cleared away the empty places and poured her the last of the tea.

"Thank you for looking after my master," he said. "He needs someone like you to help him carry the burden." He paused, "I understand now why you asked those questions."

She smiled at him, "I needed to know. Takan, you've known him for a long time, haven't you?"

"Over ten years, my lady. And the answer to your next question, no, in all that time, as far as I know he has not had a regular lover."

She coloured prettily, "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't ask, but I want to know everything about him."

"I don't think anyone will ever know everything about him, my lady."

She smiled agreement, "Still a little bit of mystery does add something to a relationship. You know he's agreed to teach me what I need to know, don't you?"

Takan nodded, "I had guessed as much, my lady. It has been my hope almost since you first came to live in the Residence, although I thought it would take a long time to persuade you."

Sonea went off to look through the books Akkarin had left for her, while Takan went back to the kitchen to clear up. He was so relieved that finally Akkarin had realised the necessity of having someone else involved in his struggle to keep the Ichani from discovering the truth of the Guild's weakness. But even two strong magicians might not be enough. _I'll never persuade him to involve anyone else!_ Takan thought. _It was bad enough this time and the girl already knew a lot of it!_

He considered what might be the effect of the intimate relationship between the two magicians. What he'd said to Sonea had been true, Akkarin had not chosen the same path as other unmarried magicians by having a discreet lover tucked away somewhere in a little house in the city, nor had he shown any interest in the eligible women his family kept sending his way. _He stayed true to his little slave friend,_ Takan thought, _Despite the fact that nothing physical had ever occurred between them. That took a lot of strength of mind. _Takan thought warmly of his own little friend, another Guild servant, and the cheerful physical relationship they shared. _I could never have done that! _

Takan wondered just how long Akkarin had had feelings for his Novice. _He hides_ _everything so well_, he thought. _If he doesn't want you to know things, you would never find out. The girl too, how long had she felt that way about the High Lord? _Takan had observed no signs in either of them, in fact he would have placed money on the fact that the girl hated Akkarin and Akkarin had no interest in the girl beyond keeping her quiet.

_I shall never fully understand magicians_, he thought. _I'm not sure I really want to, either! _Takan had relatively strong magic of his own, which was why he had been such a useful slave for his black magician masters, but he feared magic and refused to learn anything about it. Giving strength to his master was one thing, it didn't hurt and he was passive during the whole process, but the thought of taking his magic and harnessing it and using it filled him with horror.

His thoughts returned again to his current master and his newly acquired lover. The blood gem connection had given him a faint sense of the happiness Akkarin had experienced last night and Takan was pleased for him. _He has been lonely for too long. _But he was worried what might happen if Sonea was ever in danger. _What would Akkarin be willing to sacrifice in order to save her?_


	14. Akkarin's Reflections

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Akkarin's Reflections

All day long, his thoughts had been chasing round his head like a mouse in a wheel, and Akkarin had found it difficult to concentrate on Guild business with the degree of attention usually required of the High Lord. Then there was a fractious visit to the King's Council where there had been a long and complicated argument between the King's Advisors, which had dragged on through most of the afternoon.

By the time he returned to his Residence, he was tired and feeling annoyed, so he took himself off to his study, with a bottle of his favourite wine and set a magical lock to ensure privacy. He poured a large glass of wine and settled down in the comfortable chair by the fire.

Just as he'd feared, having a Novice living in his house had disturbed and disrupted his life. Since becoming High Lord, he had developed a way of living, which had suited both his role as leader and the secret work he did. Only Takan lived in the Residence full time, which made things easy to control.

Then, almost without warning, a hostile young woman had erupted into his life, creating difficulties in every way she could think of, short of provoking him to attack her or her friends.

_Well, I did consider locking her in her room on bread and water a couple of times_, he thought with a smile. _And it was very tempting to imagine giving her a good shake now and again._

It had taken weeks of patient persuasion to overcome the hostility and set her on the road to believing in the work he did. It had never been his intention to turn her into a black magician, though. But now he had, and he was still not sure that it was the right thing to do.

Sonea was a good student so it hadn't taken her long to learn the secret of becoming a black magician. She had dutifully read the books he'd left for her and then a session in the underground room was all that was needed to demonstrate the process of taking power from another living thing; plant, fish, animal, or, best of all, another human being.

Akkarin had watched her closely as Takan gave her the knife and bared his arm. She looked uncertain for a moment, and hesitated.

"It's all right, my lady," Takan had said. "There is no pain and I am used to it."

She glanced over at Akkarin, who said nothing. He saw her grit her teeth, then make a clean cut on Takan's arm. As the blood welled, she placed her hand over the cut. He saw the moment when she registered the first flow of power. Her eyes widened and she looked down at her hand as if she'd never seen it before. She took her hand away and stared at the cut for a moment, then she Healed it.

Akkarin took the knife from her unresisting hand and said, smiling, "Congratulations, you are now a black magician," and watched the colour drain from her face as she looked at him. He was not sure if the cause was fear of what she'd done or astonishment that it seemed so easy.

"That's all? That is all it takes to become a black magician?" She sounded surprised and Akkarin laughed softly.

"There are many other things which have been regarded as forbidden magic. You already know how black magicians read minds. Now you know how to build up your strength by using any living thing." He tried to sound reassuring, "I will teach you next, how to store the extra power and also how to hide it from other magicians. From now on, you must not let any other magician read your mind, because they would learn the secret of black magic."

He sipped more wine, thinking of the days since then. They had both been on edge, waiting to hear if the Thieves had tracked down the Ichani magician. Akkarin was concerned that he'd heard nothing. He had even held a clandestine meeting with Cery to stress the importance of finding this particular magician, but all of the Thief's resources had not managed to locate her. For Sonea, finding the Ichani would give her an opportunity to join the struggle and put her new black magic powers to the test and she was eager to try.

_So_, he reflected, _I was prepared for the struggle to persuade her and the issues around black magic and those had gone much better, in the end, than I'd hoped. What I had not been prepared for was the other thing._

He had lived a largely celibate life and it had been no hardship. There had been a girl for a time when he was a novice and there was a pleasant, undemanding woman in the city that he visited occasionally, but apart from these, there had been no lover in his life.

_There have been rumours about me for years though_, he thought, amused. _Some even think I might be a lad although that has never been an option for me._

Yet, it had been easy to keep the vow he'd made when he'd failed to save the girl he loved from Dakova. But now, now there was Sonea and thoughts of her pushed the vow out of his mind. _Who would have thought such a deep physical passion could exist between people like us, so different in many ways? _But it did exist and the miracle, for him, was that her desire for him was as great as his for her.

During the day, he found his mind constantly turning towards the night and what would happen then. His thoughts always began with the quiet opening of his bedchamber door, as Sonea slipped into the room. Then the slight movement as she slid into his bed and his feelings of warmth and pleasure as her body pressed up against him flesh to flesh. From there, his mind would relive every kiss, every caress, every moment of pleasure, which followed. It was a story which played and replayed, sneaking into his conscious thoughts when he least expected it.

Once, he had gone to Sonea's room instead, and somehow that had seemed more daring, more erotic, being in a young woman's room, with her things lying around, the faint perfume of her soap in the air and her scent everywhere in the pillows and bedding.

For so long, he had denied the needs of his body, and now it seemed his body was having its revenge as it became more and more difficult to concentrate on anything other than her. And that was the most disturbing part of it all, that the things he had dedicated his life to for so many years could so easily be brushed to the back of his mind by the presence of a young woman. That his strength of mind, of which he was so proud, could be weakened to such an extent was truly shocking to him.

Akkarin put the empty glass down, he didn't remember drinking the wine, and stared into the fire. It had to stop, this concentration on Sonea. There was danger in facing black magicians without a focussed mind and now there was Sonea herself to worry about in any confrontation. It was unthinkable that another woman he loved should be put in danger, and die because he couldn't save her.

Any day now, Ceryni would send him the message he was waiting for and he and Sonea would go into the city to fight and defeat the Ichani black magician. They must do so without any distractions. He would be firm with Sonea and explain that their relationship was putting at risk their chances of success. _Sonea is intelligent, she will understand,_ he thought. _She will know it's the right thing to do._

He continued to sit, brooding, by the fire. He poured another glass and sipped the wine, pleased that he had worked through the problem and arrived at a reasonable solution.

Some time later, Sonea arrived home. He heard her come in and ask Takan where he was. A moment later, she tapped at his door.

_Akkarin, please let me in_.

He released the lock and she came in as he rose to his feet.

"Good evening, Sonea," he said, "Some wine?"

As she nodded, he turned to pour it. When he turned round, she was standing close to him, smiling and his heart began to pound. She took the glass and put it down, before putting her arms around his neck, pulling his face towards her. Their lips met in a deep kiss and all thoughts fled as his arms clasped her tightly and she moulded herself against him.

_It's been such a long day and I couldn't wait to see you_, she sent. Her hands began to pull at his robes, loosening the ties and slipping the silk aside. _Takan will see we are not disturbed_.

Later, as he lay beside her on the hearthrug, his arms around her, his cheek resting against her head, he wondered what had happened to his definite intention to explain the dangers of continuing their relationship and what they must do to prevent disaster. But deep down, he knew the answer to that question. It had been lost in the ecstasy of lovemaking by the fireside, as the flickering flames illuminated the smoothness of her body, casting darting shadows over its paleness.


	15. Sonea's Training

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Sonea's Training

At last, there was some news about the black magician in the city. Akkarin had heard from Lorlen that two unexplained deaths had taken place in the past week and from the description of the bodies, he had recognised the results of the draining of power. Lorlen, too, had connected the deaths with black magic so it had taken firm handling to prevent him from panicking and keep him focussed on following the investigations.

Akkarin had alerted Ceryni and judging by the Thief's past successes in tracking the Ichani, it wouldn't be long before she was traced to her hiding place. The time was coming closer when he and Sonea would have to fight. It had been years since he had fought alongside another magician. He was used to thinking and acting without consideration for others. How he would perform, when trying to coordinate any attacks with a companion was unknown to him. The time had come when he must take a hand in Sonea's training himself.

Sonea had been continuing her Warrior training with Yikmo and his reports on her performance had remained particularly good, but Akkarin had never watched any of the sessions. _That must change now_, he thought_. I have to judge for myself. No one will think it strange that a Guardian takes a close interest in the training of his Novice._

He made his way to the Arena where he was surprised to see a number of magicians watching Yikmo and Sonea. The watchers included Regin and his group of followers so Akkarin seated himself next to them, hoping to discover what they thought of the increasing Warrior skills of their victim.

Sonea was defending against an attack led by Yikmo and several others. Akkarin could see that she was under pressure, but her shield did not waver and she was able to disable and disrupt one or two of the other Warriors. It was an impressive display.

Feeling a little mischievous, he leaned towards Regin and said, "What do you think of the skills my Novice is demonstrating, Regin?" He smiled to himself, as he saw Regin look pale at being singled out for a comment.

"She does well, High Lord," he replied carefully.

"Yes," Akkarin continued, "It would be a foolish magician who tried to catch her unawares to test her fighting abilities, wouldn't you say?"

Regin's face took on a slightly greenish tinge and his companions avoided looking at him. " Err….Yes, High Lord," he stuttered, "Very foolish, indeed."

"I have been taking a close interest in the affairs of my Novice," the High Lord went on, "Although it may not always be apparent to others. Some events have been particularly helpful for aspects of her training, but, of course, Lord Yikmo is a much better teacher than others in the Guild." He stared at Regin and was gratified to see the novice was now looking positively ill.

"My favourite is a very strong magician, as you probably know, Regin. Luckily, she also has a strong control over her emotions. But I wouldn't want to be the magician who provoked her to the point where she became angry."

"No, High Lord," Regin began to sweat slightly and Akkarin suddenly tired of the game. He was certain that now the attacks on Sonea would stop, leaving her free to concentrate on more formal Warrior training. He rose to his feet and looked down at the group of novices.

"No doubt you will all learn something from watching Lord Yikmo and Sonea practising Warrior skills," and he walked away, their words of agreement ringing pleasantly in his ears.

He made his way over to where Yikmo and Sonea were deep in discussion. As he got nearer, he could hear Sonea hotly debating some point that Yikmo was making. She was so involved in the argument, that she was unaware of his approach and it was only when he spoke, that she realised he was there.

"It is not good practice to argue with your teacher in public, Sonea," he said calmly and noticed, with some amusement, how the hot colour flooded into her face.

"No, it's not. I'm sorry, High Lord," she said submissively, giving him a very quick glance from under her lashes. "I was only seeking clarification of something Lord Yikmo had said."

Yikmo launched into a detailed description of the point he had been making, but Akkarin only half-listened, instead, his attention was taken up with his Novice. They had made a point of not being seen together very much in public, so he was unused to her ordinary behaviour when surrounded by her teachers and fellow students. There was a delicious pleasure in standing next to her, a figure of power and authority entitled to the greatest respect, while she must preserve her demeanour as a mere Novice, constrained in her response by the rules of the Guild.

Eventually Yikmo stopped talking and Akkarin composed his features into an expression of grateful interest. "So my Novice continues to perform well in the Arena?" he asked.

This started Yikmo off again, extolling the good points of Sonea's approach to Warrior skills, so Akkarin was able to go back to observing Sonea. She listened to the praise from her instructor with suitable modesty and downcast eyes, refusing to look at Akkarin.

He asked a number of pointed questions and was satisfied with the answers Yikmo provided. It did seem as though Sonea indeed had a number of talents, which enabled her to make the best use of her Warrior skills training.

"I want my Novice to be well schooled in what might be considered dirty tactics, Lord Yikmo," Akkarin said.

At this, Lord Yikmo looked shocked, "But High Lord, Warriors should use their skills to overcome their opponents in a fair fight. There should be no need to consider an underhand approach to any engagement."

Akkarin laughed, "Of course, you're right, but, humour me, I have a desire for my Novice to learn all the tricks in a Warrior's armoury. I was a Warrior myself, as you know, and I remember the feelings of excitement I had as a novice learning all the ways to win by fair means or foul. It led to some interesting challenges on the practice field if I remember correctly."

Yikmo nodded reluctantly, "I see, High Lord, well I can certainly show her one or two rather unusual moves which may surprise an opponent but I have to stress that a Warrior is not simply a street brawler who uses any sort of trickery to win, but a person of honour."

Sonea spoke for the first time since her apology. "Perhaps you could show me some of the tricks you remember, High Lord?" she said softly. "I am sure I could learn a lot from you."

Akkarin looked at her directly, "That is an interesting idea, Sonea. I am sure I could find some things to surprise you. Perhaps I will ask Lord Yikmo to allow me to assist in one or two of your training sessions." He smiled at her and was rewarded by a warm smile in return.

However, as he turned away, having suggested to Yikmo that the training continue, he looked straight into the angry face of Rothen who had been standing nearby and who'd seen the exchange of smiles between Guardian and Novice.

Rothen opened his mouth to speak, but Akkarin said quickly, "You wished to speak to me Lord Rothen? Come over here where we can be on our own," and led him away from the others.

"What have you been doing with Sonea?" Rothen demanded as soon as they were out of earshot.

Akkarin looked at him calmly, "What do you mean? She seems perfectly all right to me."

Rothen still looked angry, "I haven't seen her for weeks and then when I do, you're grinning at each other like the best of friends!"

"I told you, as long as neither you, Lorlen or Sonea say anything about my…activities, no harm will come to any of you. Sonea and I have to appear in public together some times and it would be very unusual for a Guardian and Novice to appear to hate each other, don't you agree?"

"Why won't you let me talk to her?"

"That will do. You see her at a distance or during the course of your duties. You can see she is well. What more is there to say?"

"I want to see her on her own and find out exactly what is going on in the Residence!"

_Well you'd be very surprised if you found out __**exactly**__ what was going on_, he thought in amusement.

"I said, that will do, Rothen. I shall not allow you to speak to Sonea outside of the conditions I have already set out. Now, why don't you continue watching the training session? Sonea is exceptionally talented in Warrior skills, don't you think?"

"And that's another thing!" Rothen said angrily, "She said she wanted to be a Healer, so why are you making her train so hard in Warrior skills? It is not going to be her discipline."

Akkarin smiled, "What Guardian would not want his Novice to follow him in his own discipline. I am a Warrior and it delights me that my favourite shows such talent in that area."

For a moment, Akkarin thought he had gone too far, because Rothen looked as if his anger would cause him to burst. He struggled to maintain his composure and after a moment, had calmed down sufficiently to say sharply, "Her choice has not been made yet, so don't count on forcing the poor girl into your ways!" He turned on his heel and stalked away, radiating fury.

Akkarin sighed. He knew Rothen was fond of the girl and she of him. It was a pity that things had turned out the way they had, but until he found a way to defeat the Ichani without the use of black magic and could therefore tell the Guild what was really going on, Rothen would just have to put up with the situation.


	16. Is there a Future?

**Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

**Is there a Future?**

Akkarin had taken up residence in his study again. He knew that Takan did not approve of how he had chosen to spend his evenings recently, but he found it a comfortable environment. He had picked out and paid for the furnishings himself, so they were of much better quality than the usual things provided by the Guild. Akkarin was fond of the sea, so he had chosen several seascapes to adorn the walls and his own collection of priceless ceramics were attractively displayed in their own special cabinet. His large library of books were easily accommodated in the fine oak shelving he'd had installed along one wall. It was not a room he shared with many, preferring to regard it as a private place.

In addition to the furniture and decorations, he was very fond of the hearthrug, especially after the new use he'd found for it. It was of Elyne origin and the best quality he could find. The colours were vibrant and the soft pile made a perfect resting place. He had always liked log fires and now he had seen just how attractively firelight played on smooth flesh and pale skin, he was even fonder of them. _There you go again_, he thought, _Thinking of her once more!_

He smiled ruefully. He had found trying not to think of Sonea a losing battle and his mind was slowly convincing him not to worry about it. At the back of his mind was the thought that he probably wouldn't survive in the longer term and that his best hope was to keep delaying the inevitable until an alternative to black magic could be found. _So_, his mind said, _On that basis you are entitled to take your pleasures while you can, because they will not last forever._

But whereas before, death had seemed a reasonable price to pay, now he was beginning to think it was not. _Before, there was no one who would mourn for me_, he thought, _Certainly not my family, and the Guild would simply elect a new leader. Merin might be saddened for a few weeks, but would soon get used to a new High Lord. But now, she would mourn, I think. _

He sipped his inevitable glass of Anuran Dark and thought about Sonea. _Yes, she would definitely mourn but for how long?_ He had never met anyone like her before and he could only suppose it was because she was not from the Houses. All the women his mother pushed his way followed the same pattern, wealthy, attractive and, mostly, without much of an interest in anything outside the latest fashions, the best parties and the gossip which was an important part of the social scene.

Sonea was different. She didn't seem particularly interested in clothes, although he noticed some new and very pretty sleeping garments had been purchased in recent weeks. She liked to talk about difficult problems facing the Guild, for example, and was not slow to venture an opinion. He could imagine, if they were married and she was the High Lord's Consort, she would be just the right sort of person to discuss the day-to-day issues with, to share the burden of responsibility and he could be sure of getting objective insights.

He stopped. _You are now thinking of Sonea as your wife! Where did that thought come from?_

He resumed the thought, and found that it didn't seem so strange at all. She certainly suited him better than the empty-headed women from the Houses he'd met before. He had to admit that she was more than just a lover. He was attracted not only to her body, but also to her mind and her personality. But, even as part of his mind was going down the path of happy marriage and a joyous future, the more pragmatic part was realising that neither Lorlen nor Rothen would allow him to marry her. Even if Sonea herself said she wanted it, they would assume that he had forced or bewitched her in some way for evil ends and then, nothing would prevent them from speaking out.

He finished the wine and poured another glass. Sonea would be home soon and perhaps he should make her laugh by telling her of his mad idea. _On second thoughts, that's not such a good idea, she's determined enough to want to go ahead!_

That was the other way in which Sonea was different from the women of the Houses. She enjoyed the physical side of their relationship and wasn't afraid to make the first move. Right from the beginning, she had been the first one to reach out and touch. He remembered the sensation of her cool fingers tracing the cuts on his skin, setting up an erotic tingling along his nerve endings. She had kissed him first, and he had simply responded to the feel of her lips on his. "…_Novice seduced Guardian…_" she'd said after their first time and it was true. Left to himself, he would have tried his hardest to conceal his feelings and nothing would have happened.

_Listen to yourself_, he thought disgustedly, _You sound like a pompous old prig! Stop trying to pretend it was all her idea. If it hadn't been for the black magic problem, you would have treated her like any girl you'd fallen in love with. You would have been leading the way; you would have been making the first moves. _

His mind moved further into the future. _What will happen if the Ichani have not come by the time she graduates? Graduation is not that far away and she can't live in the Residence after that. If she becomes a Healer, she could be sent anywhere in Kyralia, so what will you do then?_

There seemed to be no easy answer. After living a solitary life for so long, he had finally found a woman he would be happy to spend the rest of his life with, but he could not marry her. Her time under his roof was running out. There seemed no hope of any sort of resolution.

_In many ways, I am sorry this situation has come about_, he thought. _Although our poets write long epics about the joys of loving and losing and say over and over again that it is better to have loved, even if you lose the one you love, than never to have loved anyone at all, I'm not sure I agree. Will I have the strength to go back to my solitary existence? _

His thoughts seemed to have gone full circle. _Now, once again, I can believe that death is a reasonable price to pay. Then I would not have to mourn her loss, not to death, but to a life away from me._

He laughed bitterly to himself. His exercise in thinking had simply reinforced the idea that sacrifice and death were his lot in life, as indeed they had been since he was captured by the Ichani. _Time to stop travelling this particular road_, he thought.

The front door opened and closed and he knew Sonea was home. She came at once to his study and knocked on the door. He released the lock and she came in like a breath of fresh air. She had been training with Yikmo again, and it showed in her flushed cheeks and damp hair. Her things were quickly dropped on a convenient table, as she rushed over and flung her arms around him.

_I've missed you_, she sent, _I hoped you would come to the Arena again._

As she kissed him, he could sense her happiness at being home with him, with the whole evening and night ahead of them and he felt his own spirits begin to lift in response.

I'm glad you're back," he said, "I've been brooding on my own for far too long today."

There must have been something in the tone of his voice, because she stepped back from his embrace and looked intently into his face. She held his hand and he could feel her mind brush against his. She made no effort to enter his mind uninvited, but he knew she could sense some of his emotions. He securely hid his most recent thoughts and strong emotions, merely letting her sense a degree of concern and slight worry.

"I'm expecting a message from the Thieves any day now, and I suppose the waiting is becoming more difficult."

She smiled wickedly, "I'm sure I can take your mind off your worries for a little while."

"I'm sure you can, but can I remind you that Takan is expecting us to have dinner in about half an hour and we mustn't keep him waiting. He's been in the kitchens creating a new dish all afternoon."

She paused for a moment, then said slowly, "We still have half an hour."

He laughed joyously, "Yes, my dearest, practical, Sonea, we still have half an hour."


	17. Be Careful What You Pray For

Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi CanavanBe Careful What You Pray For

Takan busied himself with the usual preparations in the underground room. The spare clothing was ready and he had collected all the things which might be needed later on, cloths, bindings and basins ready for water. The message had arrived as expected during the afternoon. The Thieves had discovered where the Ichani magician was hiding and later tonight, Akkarin and Sonea would go into the city to try to defeat her.

Takan smiled grimly to himself. It wasn't so long ago that he had prayed to the gods of his childhood that Sonea would trust Akkarin and the High Lord would teach her black magic. That prayer had been answered, but the servant wondered if the price paid would be too much. The last thing Takan expected was that Akkarin should become involved in a passionate love affair with his Novice. _But that is exactly what happened,_ he thought. _And there are no signs that the affair is cooling, either_.

The girl, too, was as deeply involved. _They are completely besotted with each other,_ Takan thought. _It has all happened so quickly, I can't really believe it. _

As far as Takan was concerned, it was completely out of character for Akkarin to share so much with someone he'd not known very long. All those years of quiet, solitary existence overturned in a matter of weeks by a young, opinionated woman who seemed to have no respect for authority. Yet there was no doubt that the both of them had fallen headlong into a deeply passionate, physical affair.

The blood gem link to Akkarin provided him at times with a sensitivity to what Akkarin was feeling and since the start of the affair, Takan had sensed a complete range of feelings from great joy to deep despair. Both of these extremes frightened him, because he knew that magical battles between black magicians required the greatest concentration and a man experiencing these sorts of emotions almost on a daily basis was not in the best frame of mind to concentrate.

He also disapproved of the way Akkarin had shut himself away in his study night after night, drinking his wine and brooding. Takan had tried to suggest something different and almost had his head bitten off for his pains. Akkarin had apologised the next day, but Takan was aware that there were limits to what he could say and the area of Akkarin's personal life was obviously beyond comment.

So the servant had continued to watch as the two people most important to the future security of the Guild and even of Kyralia itself continued their passionate affair. For a time, it was very intense and it seemed that every room in the Residence itself was full of stray emotions. However, in the last two or three days, things had started to calm down. He was pleased to see that Akkarin had stopped shutting himself away so much and the emotions transmitted through the blood gem link were much more settled. It was almost as if Akkarin had made a decision about something which had resolved a lot of his earlier tensions_. Perhaps it is related to the special training sessions he has been leading with Sonea and Yikmo, _Takan mused. _Sonea has turned out to be a better Warrior than originally thought, so perhaps Akkarin is not so worried about her._

The door to the chamber opened and Akkarin and Sonea came in. They were chatting very quietly and seemed completely at ease as Akkarin changed into the shabby clothing he usually wore for his nighttime visits to the city. Sonea looked at the long, dark cloak she usually wore and pulled a face.

"I would much rather wear trousers and a shirt instead of these robes," she said. "It would make a lot more sense as we don't know what the rooms are like and what sorts of obstructions there might be. I prefer to have as much freedom of movement as possible. Anyway, you never wear robes!"

Akkarin glanced over to her, "You know the rules, in public you must wear robes because…" then stopped as Sonea burst out laughing.

"You have taught me forbidden magic against every rule and vow in the Guild, but you are concerned I might get into trouble if I went out dressed as an ordinary person!"

Akkarin grinned, "When you put it like that…..perhaps it might be acceptable for you to leave your robes behind tonight. Takan, do we have any more clothing which might suit my Novice better?"

Takan sorted through the bundle of old clothing he kept for nights like these and eventually found a sturdy pair of trousers and a rather dubious-looking shirt. "I think these will do," he said and watched Sonea examine them before accepting them.

The trousers were a bit long, so she tore off strips from each leg until they were the right length. The shirt was big, but she secured it round her waist with an old belt she found in the pile. Once she was dressed, she looked like the dwell she had been before entering the Guild. Somehow she looked much more at home in these old garments than ever she did in the clean robes she now wore every day.

Akkarin stuffed his hair under his old felt cap and tucked the jewelled knife securely into the belt under his shirt. He put on a sleeveless leather jerkin and finished his disguise with the dark, heavy cloak he usually wore. Sonea put on her long cloak and did up all the buttons. Her hair, being short, was not so much of a problem as Akkarin's long locks, but she wore a leather cap anyway which made her look more like a young man than a girl.

Takan looked at them, _Two of the most unlikely looking Warriors I've ever seen_, he thought. _They look like dwells on their way to a Bol House for night of heavy drinking! _He went over to Akkarin and asked, "Do you need my strength tonight, Master?"

The High Lord shook his head, "Sonea has been giving me some of her power every night for the past ten days, so I have a large store of it." He smiled at his servant, "I may need your strength later tonight if the Ichani fights strongly."

Takan nodded and looked away. He felt a strange emotion fill him, something he had never felt before and it unsettled him. Perhaps it was because Sonea was going out for the first time, or perhaps it was because Akkarin was a different man these days, but whatever it was, he wished it would go away.

Akkarin looked at Sonea, "Are you ready?"

She looked at him steadily and said, "Yes, I know what to do." She turned to Takan and grinned, "Make sure you have a large bottle of Anuran Dark ready for us when we come back!"

As Takan closed the door behind them, he found himself, once again, praying to his gods for the safety of his friend and the woman who loved him.


	18. Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi CanavanBattle

The two figures blended into the dark shadows of the underground route, as they made their way through the passages and tunnels towards the city, not using any globe lights, but relying only on a lantern. For Sonea, it was a new sensation, but for Akkarin it was merely one more journey on his self-imposed mission to rid Kyralia of Ichani black magicians.

Just before they left the safety of the tunnels, Akkarin stopped and turned to his companion, "It's not too late to change your mind," he said, looking at her intently.

Sonea smiled at him, "Yes it is, it was already too late when I learned the secrets of black magic." She moved close to him and put her arms around his neck. "Don't worry about me, I know what to do," and she kissed him deeply.

Akkarin held her close for a moment, then kissed her back. "I know," he said, "But I thought I'd better ask!"

They left the tunnels and made their way to where the guide was waiting. He glanced quickly at them before motioning them to follow as he darted into the maze of narrow lanes and passages, which made up this part of the city. He left them in a small square, where a second guide was leaning up against a brick wall. This man took them close to a run-down Bol House at the end of a lane, where a third man was waiting.

Akkarin left Sonea standing in the shadows, went over to the man and exchanged a few words. When he rejoined her, he was looking fairly pleased. "Our Ichani friend has gone out. She usually goes out around this time of night and doesn't come back for an hour or two. Her room is in the attic of the building there," and he gestured towards a semi-derelict building opposite the Bol House. "According to the Thieves, the building is empty; she's been there for two days and she's likely to be moving on tomorrow or the next day. That seems to be her usual pattern and it's what made it difficult for them to find her."

By this time, the third guide had melted away, leaving the two magicians alone in the lane. Akkarin stared up at the top floors of the building. It was a tall, narrow building, half covered with a creeper, with only a few grimy windows on each floor. The attic floor only had a small window opening, but he thought it would be possible to use it to get in.

He looked around, there was no one in sight, so he put his arms around Sonea as she levitated them up to the attic window. As she maintained the disc beneath them, Akkarin pushed at the window. It didn't move readily and he swore under his breath as he struggled to get it open. Finally, with a hideous groaning noise, the window slowly opened into the room.

Just as they were about to enter, there was a loud noise below them as the door was pushed open and a couple of drunken customers came piling out of the Bol House. There was obviously some sort of argument going on because the lane was filled with shouting as other customers followed the drunks out. Light from the open doorway illuminated the lane and Akkarin held his breath, hoping that no one would think to look up to where, above them, two people appeared to be standing on thin air. He felt Sonea's arms tighten around him as she concentrated on keeping the disc in place.

Luckily, moments later, after another loud burst of shouting and an exchange of insults, the two drunks were helped on their way by the willing boots of several other

customers, who then went back inside, slamming the door behind them.

Akkarin felt Sonea let her breath out in relief as they both scrambled into the room and shut the window. The building had once been a lodging house, but looked as if it had been unused for some years. The room was fairly typical for this type of shabby establishment. What little furniture remained showed signs of many years of poor treatment. The bed in one corner of the room was simply a sagging mattress slung on a wooden frame, although the bedding seemed to be relatively clean. There was a row of hooks on one wall, which held a cloak and one or two other pieces of clothing. The only thing of value was a wooden chest, which probably belonged to the black magician.

Akkarin looked around, "There are not many places to hide," he said quietly. "We need to conceal ourselves, at least until she is right in the room." He began searching the room and its contents, while Sonea had a look at the wooden chest but it was secured with a magical lock she was unable to open. Akkarin searched through the bedding, but found nothing. He looked under the bed, but the gap between the mattress and floor was so small, nothing much could be hidden there. The clothing on the hooks held no unexpected finds, even the pockets were empty.

They went back to searching the room, but there was very little else there. Sonea found a small niche in the wall, which looked as if it had once been a doorway into another room, long boarded up.

"That will do for you," Akkarin said, "It's a good job you are not a tall woman otherwise you'd never fit! You know what to do. Try to make it as inconspicuous as possible."

There was nowhere for Akkarin to conceal himself, so in the end, he decided to stand behind the door. Their plan was for Sonea to stay out of sight as long as possible, so that the Ichani would think she was facing only one enemy.

Time passed slowly. There was nothing to do except wait for their quarry to return. It seemed as if they'd been in the dusty room for several hours, but was probably nearer one, before they heard the sound of footsteps echoing on bare boards. Sonea squeezed into the niche and pulled her hood over her face as far as it would go and hid her hands in her sleeves. She could see Akkarin only as a darker shape among the shadows near the door.

A figure came through the door and into the room. Akkarin remained absolutely still, but as she turned to close the door, she caught sight of him and he activated his shield almost at the same time as she did.

"You again!" the woman said in heavily accented Kyralian. "Did you miss the feel of my knife along your ribs." She laughed, "Where shall I cut you this time, slave?"

Akkarin didn't reply, but came further into the room. He sent a forcestrike against her shield, but it dissipated harmlessly. The woman laughed again. "I thought I might kill you and then I had a better idea. I shall ask Kariko to give you to me as my pleasure slave. I'm tired of the one I have and I am sure you will give me hours of pleasure when I carve my name in your flesh."

Still Akkarin said nothing, but continued to send strikes against her shield. He wanted to keep her attention directly on him to avoid any possibility that Sonea's hiding place would be discovered. He could sense the black magician's feelings of confidence and pleasure as she continued to taunt him.

"After I take you back to Sachaka, Kariko will bring his armies to Imardin and kill all the people in your Guild. They are all cowards who do not know how to use magic properly. We will take their power and then all of Kyralia will pay the price for what they did to Sachaka."

Akkarin kept up the barrage of forcestrikes, hoping to break her shield, but she was strong and he found it almost impossible. Her return strikes battered at him and he could feel some small draining away of his power.

"You think to stand against me, against the power of the Ichani?" she said. "You are just one man, one slave who has forgotten his place. When you are gone, there will be no one else."

But as she finished speaking, another shielded figure appeared from the corner of the room, and her attention was suddenly diverted. She began sending curved strikes against the new enemy as well as continuing to strike at Akkarin.

Now, Akkarin decided to break his silence, "I am not alone. There are more magicians like me who know the true magic. We can defeat you and all the armies of the Ichani which come against us!"

A third figure materialised in the opposite corner, further splitting her concentration. Her strike rate increased and the room was filled with flashes of power.

A fourth figure now appeared, almost directly behind her, but she sensed the movement and turned rapidly, sending strikes in that direction. The magician responded and the Ichani's shield was under pressure from two directions.

Akkarin moved closer and his increasingly powerful strikes started to drive her backwards, towards the fourth figure behind her. Further figures began to move into the centre of the room, so many, the black magician lost count as she rapidly scanned the room, sending strikes in all directions.

Akkarin laughed, a harsh sound, and said, "You are quiet now, now that you see our numbers, now that you have many to fight. Soon we shall kill you and take your power. Next we will search Sachaka and hunt down all your petty little groups of lawless magicians, using your strength to reinforce our Warriors. Weep woman, weep for the loss of the Ichani!"

As he was speaking speaking, he continued to drive her backwards until she was almost on top of the fourth figure. As she got closer, Sonea, who was behind her, dropped her shield and slid down to the floor and into the small pit she had created earlier by loosening the floorboards. Just as they had planned, the Ichani's shield passed over Sonea who found herself inside for just enough time to slash the woman and cover the cut with her hand. The Ichani woman did not even have time to speak, before the draining process became irreversible and her lifeless body collapsed on the floor.

Akkarin came over to where Sonea stood, the small knife dangling from her hand, and a grim look on her face. She dropped the knife and rushed into his arms. He could sense the distress, which flooded her thoughts and he held her tightly.

"It's so horrible," she said. "I could feel her life-force flooding into me and I wanted to be sick."

"I know, I know," he said softly, his cheek against her head. "You never get used to it, but it is a question of kill or be killed. If she had caught you, that would have been your fate."

She raised her head and looked at him, "That was a very clever plan. How did you know she wouldn't find out the other figures were illusions?"

For a moment, Akkarin was tempted to gloss over the truth, but thought better of it. "I didn't! I thought she might discover one of them at some stage, but I hoped by then she would be close enough to you."

"Yikmo would be horrified," Sonea giggled, "I'm sure what we did goes against the idea of Warriors fighting with honour. But I'm glad you are a dirty tricks Warrior, Akkarin, rather than a dead honourable one!"

Akkarin bent over the dead woman and began to search her clothing. It didn't take him long to find the blood gem disguised as a pendant. He took it and ground it beneath his heel.

"Hopefully you did your work before she died," he said. "Whoever created this will have heard my talk about numbers and seen the images. It may give them cause to think again."

Akkarin straightened up with the Ichani's jewelled knife in his hand. He held it out to Sonea, "Here, take this, your own black magician's knife. Think of it as a graduation present."

She looked at it, recognising it as a twin of Akkarin's, and shivered slightly. "It feels so final to have one of those. It makes me finally realise that I am a black magician and I can kill people by draining their power and stealing their life-force." She paused, then held out her hand. "Give it to me; as you said, there's no going back."

Akkarin watched as she slipped it through her belt. He remembered the first time he wore his own knife. He, too, had taken it from the body of an enemy he had defeated. He remembered the feeling, half exultation for the victory and half dread for the implications of what he had done. Sonea would be feeling the same.

He made an effort to sound cheerful, "It's time we were getting back to the Residence or Takan will be wondering what's happened to us and thinking the worst, no doubt. The Thieves will deal with the body and clear up this place. Our work is done for the moment."


	19. Homecoming

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi Canavan**

Homecoming

Akkarin sat alone in his bedchamber. Although it was already past 2 o'clock in the morning, Sonea had not yet come to join him. They had returned from the city at just after midnight to find Takan, as expected, waiting for them. The servant had been very happy to hear that the Ichani was dead, but puzzled at Sonea's reaction as she showed no obvious emotion and seemed reluctant to speak about what had gone on.

She had been quiet all through the journey back to the Residence and Akkarin, wisely, decided not to try to encourage conversation. When they got back to the underground room, she let Akkarin tell the story of the battle and only contributed an occasional word. They had had their celebratory drink in the study, but Sonea had excused herself soon afterwards and gone up to her room. Akkarin waited for a few minutes, then had gone to his room, expecting her to join him as usual, but that had been over an hour ago and she still had not come.

He could understand her mixed emotions as he had gone through a similar process after his first kill. Although he had had several years of ill treatment as a slave to avenge, it had still been a strangely unsettling experience to feel the effects of using black magic to kill a man. For Sonea, it was even more unsettling because she had never killed or seriously injured anyone with any sort of magic before.

He thought back to their preparations. She had become an enthusiastic student of Warrior skills and the sessions where he had joined Yikmo had revealed her talent for both tactics and the fighting itself. She also appreciated the use of trickery to obtain advantage in any context, much to the disappointment of Yikmo.

The two of them had also practised illusion skills in the Residence until Sonea became almost as adept at he in creating extremely lifelike illusions. That had been a key part of their plan to confuse the enemy and thus reduce the advantage her strength gave her. The fact that Sonea was small and able to duck into small spaces had provided the final part of their strategy to get inside the Ichani's shield.

_By the Eye_, he thought, _I'm so proud of her! She showed no fear and had carried out her part of the plan to perfection. _He thought of the distance she had travelled since entering the Guild, an uneducated slum dweller, afraid of her natural ability with magic, and facing a hostile environment. She was now one of the best students in her year and it was very likely that she would be placed near the top in the Graduation List. Her power and strength were far and away the strongest in the Guild, apart from himself. _It's very possible she could become the first High Lady in the entire history of the Guild,_ he thought. _What a pity I won't be around to see that! _

Sonea had played her part better than he could have imagined, helping him create the illusions, maintaining a sound shield around the building so that noise of the battle would not carry and finally getting herself into position to deliver the killer blow.

_I could not have done it without her_, he thought. _Takan was right, I needed another magician to help me._

He looked at the clock. Another quarter of an hour had passed and still no sign that Sonea would come to him. He was unsure what to do. _Should I leave her alone or go to her? _His mind would tell him one thing, then a few minutes later, it would say the opposite. He wanted to see her. He missed sleeping with another warm body in his bed, arms wrapped around each other, so they lay cocooned, safe and protected. _How quickly you become used to having a lover close to you all night_, he thought, _And how wide and empty your bed is when she is not there._

His mind made up, Akkarin silently walked down to Sonea's room. He listened for a moment outside her door, but could hear nothing.

_Sonea?_ he sent. _May I come in?_

She didn't answer but he heard the slight click as she released the lock. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Her room was in darkness, with only the Eye shining through the window to provide some pale illumination. Sonea was lying on the coverlet, but showed no signs of having been asleep. He went over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. He took one of her hands in his and looked down at her.

She smiled up at him, saying, "I'm not very good company at the moment, I'm sorry."

He could see an unshed tear sparkling on her lashes. He bent down and brushed a kiss on her forehead. "We don't have to talk, if you don't want to," he said softly.

She smiled gratefully, "I don't know what to say about it all yet, but I would like you to hold me until I do."

He lay down beside her and took her in his arms. She settled into a familiar position, with her head resting against his chest. He put his cheek against her hair and used a little magic to create a warm bubble around them. They stayed like that for a long time. He could sense strong feelings of sadness in Sonea, which gradually faded as she relaxed in his embrace.

"I love you very much, Akkarin," she whispered after a while. "I can't bear to think of what could happen if they keep sending stronger and stronger black magicians. I don't think I could stay here if anything happened to you."

"I'm not an easy man to kill, Sonea," he said. "A lot of Ichani magicians have tried and they have all died. I'm hoping that tonight, we sent them a message they will believe, and they'll stop sending any more to test us at least for a long while."

She moved in his embrace until she could look directly into his eyes, "Do you love me, Akkarin? Really love me I mean, not just as a bed partner but as someone you want to stay with for the rest of your life?"

_Should I tell her the truth? _he thought, _Or should I try to bring this affair to a close? What is best for her? _But as he looked at her, he knew he couldn't lie.

"Yes, I love you, Sonea. If I could find a way to do it, I would make you my wife and spend the rest of my life with you. But I can't. Lorlen and Rothen would never allow me to marry you, they would denounce me immediately."

She closed her eyes, and he saw a tear slide down her cheek. "I'd hoped you had thought of a way," she said, "I'm dreading Graduation because I'll have to move out of here. Once I go, you won't have any hold over Lorlen and Rothen, so what is to prevent them denouncing you anyway?"

Akkarin laughed humourlessly, "I have been thinking along the same lines. The answer is very little."

Sonea was silent for a moment, deep in thought. Then her face lightened, "Did you mean what you said just then? That you'd marry me if you could think of a way?"

He placed his fingers under her chin and brought her face close to his. He covered her mouth with his and gently traced her lips with his tongue, feeling her response as the kiss deepened. He raised his head and said, his lips against her ear, "I would marry you tomorrow, if I could."

"Perhaps there is a way," she said. "You forced me to become your Novice to ensure their silence. What if you forced me to become your wife after Graduation?"

"But they wouldn't allow it. They would expose me. I've already thought about it."

"I'll bet you thought about it from the point of view that I _wanted _to marry you. They would simply think you had bewitched me, but what if they were told you were forcing me to marry you so instead of being a hostage Novice, I was a hostage wife? I could make it clear to them that I don't wish to marry you, but I'm willing to go through with it to protect them."

He thought for a moment, then grinned, "It might work if we came clean about what Graduation means and that to keep you in the Residence, and a hostage for their good behaviour, I will make you marry me. Of course, if I were Lorlen or Rothen, I would require something more. They would probably want me to swear that it would not be a true marriage and I couldn't swear that!" Akkarin's grin widened, "It's much too late to swear to keep you a virgin!"

Sonea grinned in return, "There's always a way to swear and not swear at the same time, it's something we learn very early on in the slums. You could swear an oath that you would not force me to make love to you and I would swear that if you did try to force me, I would denounce you myself. That way all of us will be satisfied!"

_It might just work_, Akkarin thought to himself, _They might just fall for it_.

"It will create a scandal in the Guild," he said, "There are very strict rules about Guardians and Novices. Nothing could be said or done until after Graduation."

They spent a few minutes talking over the plan, each suggesting small refinements until they had something which they thought would be workable. It was not perfect and there were risks that either Lorlen or Rothen, or both of them, would not agree under any circumstances, but it was better than the alternative, separation and the strong possibility of the exposure of Akkarin's secret to the rest of the Guild.

After a while, Akkarin noticed that Sonea had stopped talking and he saw that she had fallen asleep. She had a half-smile on her lips and was perfectly relaxed. He settled her more closely in his arms and rested his cheek on her hair. Just before he, too, fell asleep, he had one last thought, _Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my sullen, hostile Novice would become the woman who wished to be my wife in such a short time, nor did I ever think I would never want to let her go._


	20. Graduation

**Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – they belong to Trudi Canavan**

**Graduation**

Akkarin stared at his reflection, checking that his robes were properly in place and that his hair was tidy. He had to look his best today as it was the first of the ceremonies associated with Graduation. He had chosen a gold ribbon, embroidered with the High Lord's incal to bind his hair instead of his usual black, in the hope that it would provide a bit of colour. _Whoever decided that the High Lord should always be swathed in black had no sense of theatre,_ he thought grumpily.

The past weeks since Sonea had killed the Ichani had passed all too quickly. There had been no more incursions of black magicians and Akkarin could only hope that the deception they practised during the battle with the Ichani woman would continue to prevail. _Was it too much to hope that they had given up for the time being?_

He sighed, it wasn't really a good idea to rely on the possibility that the Ichani had foregone their dreams of conquest. The Thieves still kept their eyes and ears open, so he knew he would soon learn if there were any more unexplained deaths in the city.

Once he was ready, he used the passages to go to Lorlen's office. The Administrator wasn't there yet, but was expected very soon so Akkarin sat down to wait. It was some time since he had spoken to Lorlen on anything other than Guild business.

The office door opened and Lorlen came in, a frown creased his forehead as he saw the High Lord.

"Good morning, High Lord," he said coolly.

"Good morning, Administrator Lorlen," he replied. "Is everything in place for the ceremony today?"

Lorlen replied in the affirmative, then waited to see if Akkarin had anything else to say.

"My Novice has done well in her final examinations," he said. "I expect she will be one of the best magicians to graduate this year."

Lorlen nodded, "Yes, her results are good. When will she be moving out of the Residence?"

Akkarin smiled frostily, "Ah, yes, I wondered when you would mention that. You would be very happy for me to lose my hostage quickly, however, I am reluctant to let her leave my Residence for obvious reasons."

Lorlen paled, "You can't keep her there once she graduates. She ceases to be a Novice the minute the Graduation Medal is placed around her neck. An unmarried male magician cannot have an unmarried female magician living in his rooms. You know that, High Lord, so don't think you can change the rules in this case."

The High Lord stared at Lorlen, who felt chills down his spine, as he saw the gleam in Akkarin's eye and the cold smile, which played around his mouth.

"I have become so used to the presence of another in my Residence, albeit a sullen, hostile presence most of the time, that I have decided to keep her. As soon as my Novice graduates, I shall marry her and she will live in the Residence as my wife."

Akkarin watched the colour drain from Lorlen's face as the implication of his words struck home. "You can't mean it!" he cried, "You can't force that young girl to become your wife. I won't allow it!"

"I have already told Sonea that I intend to marry her in order to continue her usefulness as a hostage against your silence and Rothen's silence. She understands the position. She is very keen to protect you and Rothen, so she has agreed."

Lorlen sat down suddenly, and put a hand up to his forehead, "Akkarin, you can't! You simply can't destroy that girl's life any more. It was bad enough making her your Novice, but at least that wasn't too unusual, but to marry her, to force her to live with you, not even you could do that!"

"Let us see what Sonea says, shall we?"

_Sonea?_

_High Lord?_

_Come to Administrator Lorlen's office immediately._

_Yes, High Lord._

They waited in silence until Sonea arrived. She tapped at the door and entered.

"You wanted to see me, High Lord?" she said quietly.

"I have told Lorlen of our plans and he wanted to question you himself. Please feel free to answer all his questions, Sonea."

She turned to Lorlen, who indicated a chair next to his, so she sat down, her hands in her lap, the very picture of a submissive novice in front of a high-ranking magician.

"Sonea, the High Lord has told me some astonishing news this morning. He's told me that he is going to marry you after you graduate. Is this true?"

She looked at Lorlen and said, "Yes, Administrator. The High Lord explained to me that I would have to leave the Residence after Graduation and that he could not let me do that because I am a guarantee for your silence. He said that if I didn't agree to the marriage, the consequences for you and for Rothen could be difficult." She glanced into his eyes, then looked away, "But if I agree to the marriage, everything would be as before and no one would be harmed."

"Sonea, listen very carefully, are you sure you understand fully the consequences of a marriage between you and the High Lord?" Lorlen's voice sounded strained.

She nodded, "I fully understand and I am willing to do it to protect you and Rothen. I have been living in the Residence for a long time and it has been as the High Lord said at the beginning, if no one tries to denounce him, no one will be harmed. The High Lord has taken an interest in my studies and acted at all times as a Guardian should. After the marriage, I would simply continue to live at the Residence and things would go on as they did before."

Lorlen's mouth opened, but nothing came out and Akkarin decided to put an end to the questioning. "Do you have all the information you need, Administrator? Yes? Then Sonea can go, she has to get ready for the ceremony too."

Lorlen said nothing until Sonea had left, then he turned to the man who had been his friend since they had been boys. "I can't believe it of you, Akkarin, that you would take a young woman and effectively destroy her life just to protect your grubby secrets. What will Rothen say? What will the Guild say?"

Akkarin allowed himself to smile, "I have no intention of destroying her life. For her, things will be exactly the same as they have been ever since she's been my Novice. Rothen, no doubt will be angry and I rely on you to keep him under control, because you both know what will happen if things get out. I rely on you also to keep the Guild under control in this matter. In case you are worried for Sonea's virtue, I am willing to swear a solemn and binding oath not to force myself upon her. She knows this and I'm sure that has helped reconcile her towards the marriage."

Lorlen could find nothing more to say, so Akkarin left him to consider what he had learned. As he made his way to the Hall for the ceremony, Akkarin thought about how Lorlen had taken the news. _It seemed to go reasonably well_, he thought. _Sonea sounded convincing and I think the thing about the oath went some way to reassure him_. But he knew that convincing Rothen would not be so easy and he wasn't looking forward to having an angry Alchemist in his office.

He climbed to his seat, high above the rest of the magicians, only the King's seat was higher. It gave him a good view of all the occupants of the hall. He could see Sonea, sitting for the last time in her Novice's robes, alongside her fellows.

The ceremony started and there was a long procession of final year novices coming forward one-by-one to receive their Graduation Medals from Lorlen, formally choose their Disciplines and receive their new robes.

When her name was called, Sonea stood and walked towards the dais. She climbed the steps and stopped in front of the Administrator. They exchanged bows and Lorlen placed the Graduation Medal around her neck.

"Congratulations, Magician Sonea," Lorlen said in a loud voice, "Have you made a choice of Discipline?"

"Yes, Administrator," she replied, according to the age-old rules.

"What is your Discipline to be?" intoned Lorlen.

"I wish to become a Warrior, Administrator."

There was a buzz in the Hall, for many remembered her earlier pronouncements that she wished to become a Healer. Others remembered her Guardian had been a Warrior and nodded knowingly to each other.

While the buzz continued, Lorlen received a set of red robes from one of the Warriors alongside him on the dais.

"And have you been accepted into the Warrior Discipline, Magician Sonea?"

"Yes, Administrator, I have been accepted into the Warrior Discipline."

At a sign, Sonea took off her Novice's robes, folded them and handed them to another magician. Lorlen handed her the set of red robes and Sonea was helped into her new garments. She turned and bowed, firstly to the High Lord, then to the Higher Magicians and finally to the rest of the audience, then walked off the dais and back to her seat.

Akkarin smiled, it had all gone well. Her choice of Discipline had created a stir in the Hall. _Wait until they hear she's getting married,_ he thought with amusement, _That will really start the tongues wagging._


	21. Marriage

Disclaimer: I do not own BMT world – it belongs to Trudi CanavanMarriage

Akkarin carefully watched Rothen's reaction to Sonea's announcement; the Alchemist didn't look particularly well, his face was strained and very pale. To say he was angry was rather an understatement. Almost as soon as the Medal Ceremony was over, Lorlen must have told Rothen about the proposed marriage, because he had stormed up to the High Lord and demanded to speak to him privately. So, here they all were in his office, Lorlen, still looking shaken, Rothen who was enraged, Sonea, who appeared embarrassed and himself, eying events with a degree of amusement.

Rothen stared at Sonea grimly, "I don't understand, what has he done to make you agree to this?"

Sonea said calmly, "He simply explained to me about having to leave here and that he couldn't let me. This is the only way I can continue to live in the Residence. It's all right, Rothen. Nothing will happen to me, it'll be just the same as before."

Rothen turned to Akkarin, "I used to think I knew you, I even admired the way you led the Guild. Then I found out about your filthy black magic and the lengths you'd go to protect yourself! But I never, never, could have imagined even you would sink so low as to force marriage on a young girl to further your own ends!"

"Rothen, your anger does justice to your feelings about Sonea, however, let me remind you that whatever I choose to do, I will do and you will abide by it. As you say, I will go to any lengths to prevent news of my….activities reaching the rest of the Guild. Having Sonea as my Novice has worked very well. You and Lorlen remained silent and I discovered I enjoyed having a Novice to look after." Akkarin smiled coolly, "Yes, the Residence has been rather empty for a long time, with just my servant and myself living here. Having a Novice was very entertaining at times! I am sure having a wife will be equally entertaining."

Rothen turned back to Sonea and said urgently, "Sonea, look at me! What has he done to make you agree? You don't seem upset, as I would expect you to be, so I can only think you are under some sort of spell. Don't do it! Lorlen and I will promise anything to prevent you having to do this!"

Sonea looked at him and said carefully, "Please, Rothen, don't make this more difficult than it has to be. I have to agree to this marriage, don't you see? I want to make sure that nothing will happen to you. The High Lord has treated me well while I have been living here and he has promised me that things will carry on as before. I have been perfectly safe and so have you and Lorlen."

Akkarin was becoming weary of the same circular arguments, so he decided to try to bring the meeting to a close. After all, he had a marriage to arrange and a Graduation Ball to attend.

"Look, Rothen, I am willing to swear a binding oath that I will not force Sonea to perform all the duties of a wife. That should reassure you about her well-being. As I've said many times, as long as you three remain silent everyone will be perfectly all right. Now, the marriage will take place before the Ball this evening. I have everything arranged, but you are welcome to come as witnesses, if you wish!"

Rothen was aghast, "This evening? You're getting married this evening?"

Akkarin smiled thinly, "As Administrator Lorlen pointed out to me earlier, now that my Novice has graduated, she can no longer live under my roof, unless she is my wife. I do not want to miss even one day of Sonea's company in the Residence, so the marriage will take place this evening."

Although Rothen continued to make clear his distress at the news, there was really nothing more to say and the meeting eventually came to a close. After Rothen and Lorlen left, Akkarin went over to the wine and poured two large glasses.

Sonea sat down and sighed, "That was awful. Poor Rothen, he was so bewildered by it all, I don't think he could really take it in. I wish we could tell him the truth." She looked up at Akkarin, "I wonder if he would believe us, if we tried to explain."

"He might, at a pinch, come to accept the truth about black magic, but never he would believe that there might be other reasons why we want to be married." Akkarin sipped his wine. "Sometimes I have difficulty believing it myself!"

Sonea suddenly gasped, "We haven't told your family! How do you think they'll react when they find out?"

"My family have been keen to marry me off for years, so I suppose they will be happy I finally found a wife."

"I can't believe they will be very happy you have chosen a dwell!"

"But you aren't a dwell any more, Sonea, you are a Warrior and a fully qualified member of the Guild. Anyway, by the time they find out, it will all be over. They don't come to the Guild very often and I certainly don't spend much time at home any more. Let's think of more pleasant things! Have you a dress for your marriage?"

She smiled prettily, "I have had one specially made you haven't seen yet, so I'm hoping it will be a pleasant surprise! Thank goodness that Guild rules about what magicians wear do not extend to marriage ceremonies!"

Akkarin took her hand and pulled her into an embrace, "I'm sure you will look beautiful, but honestly, I wouldn't care if you wore robes, or beggar's rags, I just want you to be my wife, then the whole nightmare of the last few weeks will be over and you can stay here."

Sonea was right about her dress, he was pleasantly surprised. It was made of a very pale pink silk, embroidered with tiny white and pink flowers. At the centre of each flower a tiny jewel was set, which sparkled with every movement. She wore a coronet of pale pink and white roses and he found her astonishingly beautiful.

He wondered what she thought of his own marriage garments. _You are a vain man_, _Akkarin_, he thought ruefully_. But_ _I hope she is also pleasantly surprised! _ He was wearing tight fitting trousers and high leather boots, a white silk shirt with long flowing sleeves, over which was a long sleeveless jacket in dark blue, heavily embroidered in gold thread. He had left his long, black hair loose, which made him look younger and quite different from the High Lord's usual appearance. It was a long time since he had worn such fine clothes and it felt very strange to be out of his black robes.

Only a few carefully chosen people had come to the ceremony, but Akkarin noticed that Lorlen had come alone and he wondered where Rothen was. _Perhaps it is best that Rothen_ _stays away_, he thought. The ceremony itself didn't take long and finished with an exchange of rings. As he put the gold marriage ring on her finger, he felt her hand tremble in his. He glanced at her and saw the unshed tears in her eyes. She smiled at him and he felt her slide his own marriage ring on to his finger.

_It is done! _ he sent.

_Yes!_ she replied.

Their guests came up to them to offer congratulations, but also to stare at them curiously. Akkarin had been right, the Guild gossip machine was working overtime at the sudden news that their High Lord was to marry his former Novice immediately after Graduation. However, by organising things so quickly, there was little time for the gossip to develop and Akkarin hoped that it would soon die down.

"Now there is only the Ball to attend," Sonea said as they snatched a moment alone, "Then we can come back here and shut everything and everyone else out and just be together."

Akkarin smiled down at her, "That will be perfect, my wife."

**This story is now complete. Thank you for reading it and I hope you enjoyed it.**

**I shall be writing another story soon – there can't be too many stories about Akkarin!**


End file.
